


Tense Times

by LuciferaBlack



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Smut, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2019-09-23 15:34:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 32,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17083001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciferaBlack/pseuds/LuciferaBlack
Summary: Liz is being followed and Red does everything he can to protect her. They grow closer as they weather the volatile circumstances together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by the song "Pray For Me" by The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar & SZA: https://youtu.be/ptJVWT6Oco4
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Blacklist or the characters; this is strictly for fan entertainment purposes.

 Red was sitting in the back of a warehouse with three men, having a meeting about business. He was acquainted with the men through some of his associates, but he didn’t work directly with them.

 “So…gentlemen…whose idea was it to follow Elizabeth Keen?” Red asked, looking at each man. 

 They stayed silent. 

 “It was very cleverly organized; I was impressed.” Red said, smiling. 

 “…It was our boss…Keith Rivers.” One man said. 

 “Ah. I’ll have to congratulate him.” Red said interestedly. 

 “However…the surveillance wasn’t very well-executed, was it. Which one of you did she see?” Red said. 

 The three men looked at each other sheepishly, then one ratted on the other. 

 “It was Lorenzo.” He said. 

 Red turned to the third man, to his right.

 “Oh Lorenzo…” Red said in a disapproving tone.

 Red suddenly pulled his gun out from under his suit jacket and shot Lorenzo in the temple. Lorenzo slumped over to the right and then dropped out of the chair. Red looked back at the remaining two men, who now wore anxious expressions. 

 “…You killed him because he was seen?” One man asked incredulously.

 Red chuckled and shook his head. 

 “No. I killed him because he frightened her. No one goes near Elizabeth Keen again. Understand?” He said. 

 The two men nodded. 

 “You can pass the message on to Rivers…ah hell, I’ll do it myself.” Red said, then he shot both men in quick succession. 

 One man fell out of the chair, but the other stayed put. Red tilted his head and pondered the physics of it.

 “Hm.” Red reacted, intrigued, then he put his gun away and left the warehouse. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was in her motel room, lounging on the bed, feeling bored. There wasn’t much to do on the current case at the moment, and there was even less to do in the motel room. She didn’t want to go out anywhere because she was anxious lately. She’d spotted someone following her and it really scared her. It had only been a few weeks since filing for divorce from Tom, who’d been hiding another life from her. Liz didn’t know if he, someone he knew, or some criminal from Red’s world was stalking her. Thinking of Red, she wondered what he was up to right now; he was always doing something crazy and dangerous. She found herself smirking as she thought about him. 

 Liz sat bolt upright when there was a knock on her door. Her heart started racing and she grabbed her handgun off the bedside table, then she went and peeked through a tiny gap in the curtains. The dusky light made it difficult to see at first, but then she realized it was Red. She sighed with relief and unbolted the door, then she opened it. 

 “Hello, Lizzie.” Red said, smiling gently. 

 “Hi. Come in.” Liz said, glancing around behind him. 

 Liz closed and bolted the door, then she stood in front of Red, who eyed her worriedly. 

 “…So what’s up?” She asked, trying to sound casual. 

 “I’m here to tell you that the people who were following you will not be a problem anymore.” Red said. 

 Liz stared at him.

 “Oh…?” She said. 

 “You don’t have to worry about them anymore, sweetheart, I assure you. Also…I’m here to take you out.” He said. 

 “…Where?” She asked nervously. 

 “Where would you like to go?” He asked cheerfully. 

 “Nowhere.” She said honestly. 

 Red smirked. 

 “Lizzie, you’ll be completely safe with me. We’ll go out for a…drink.” He said. 

 He was going to suggest coffee, but with Lizzie being so anxious, he figured caffeine was a bad idea. 

 Liz studied Red and thought about how he always protected her, no matter what. She also thought about how she’d been avoiding going out.

 “…Okay.” She said. 

 “Good.” Red said, smiling. 

 “I’m bringing this.” Liz said, picking up her gun. 

 “That’s fine. I’ve brought mine, as well.” He said. 

 Liz realized how silly it was that they were both bringing weapons to go for a drink, but on the other hand, they always seemed to be under some sort of threat. She put her gun in her handbag, then she noticed she was just wearing skinny jeans and a tank top. 

 “Do I look okay?” Liz asked out of habit. 

 Red gazed adoringly at her. 

 “You look beautiful.” He said. 

 Liz blushed lightly; she hadn’t expected that. A simple “yep” would have sufficed. 

 “Thanks.” She said, then she went to the door. 

 After unbolting it, she hesitantly stepped out with Red following her, then she closed and locked the door. Liz looked around for a car, but there wasn’t one. She looked at Red. 

 “We’ll walk, Lizzie. There’s a pub just a few doors down. You picked a nice inconspicuous area to stay in…well, not _nice_ …it’s nicely inconspicuous.” He said. 

 Liz felt very vulnerable and she hesitated. Red offered his arm to her, so she took it; he escorted her as they walked away from the motel. 

 “How was your day?” Red asked, trying to keep Lizzie distracted and at ease. 

 “Boring. You?” Liz said. 

 “It was alright…” He said vaguely. 

 Liz looked around nervously. 

 “It’s nice weather this evening.” Red said. 

 “…Yeah.” Liz replied. 

 “I wonder if the autumn will be mild or chilly; it’s only about a month away now.” Red said. 

 “I dunno.” Liz said. 

 “It seems like every other year, we have a very mild autumn.” He said. 

 Liz was getting annoyed with Red’s incessant chatting, but then she realized he’d successfully distracted her and now she could see the pub. They walked through the parking lot and entered the building. Red looked around disapprovingly, but he went up to the bar with Lizzie at his side. 

 “What would you like to drink, sweetheart?” Red asked.

 “Um, some red wine, I guess.” Liz said. 

 Red turned to the bartender. 

 “Do you have any decent red wine here?” He asked. 

 Liz cringed and the bartender looked irritated. 

 “Depends on what you think is ‘decent’.” The bartender said. 

 “Just give me the most expensive bottle you can find.” Red said. 

 The bartender nodded and went to grab a bottle. He came back and showed Red the label. 

 “…Fine, that’ll have to do.” Red said. 

 The bartender eyed him, then opened the bottle and got two glasses out. Red took hold of the bottle. 

 “I’ll pour it in a minute. It has to breathe.” He said. 

 The bartender raised his eyebrows in an unamused manner, then he waited expectantly for money, so Red paid him. The bartender walked away and served other customers. Red decided to pour the wine, then he looked at Lizzie, who was marvelling at his apparent snobbishness. 

 “I happen to know about wine.” Red explained. 

 Liz nodded, then she took a sip. 

 “This is good.” She said. 

 “…It’s alright.” He replied. 

 Liz went to take another sip but she chuckled into her glass. Red was amused, and he smiled at her. 

 “Thanks for this, Red. I guess I needed to get out.” Liz said. 

 “No problem, Lizzie. Any time.” Red said. 

 Red looked around and noticed an empty corner booth. 

 “Why don’t we go sit over there.” He said. 

 Liz glanced over and nodded, so they went and sat in the booth. Red chose to sit next to her, and they both had their backs to the walls. He could tell Lizzie was starting to relax; she smiled lightly at him and she wasn’t constantly looking around. 

 “When are you going to move out of the motel, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “I don’t know. I have nowhere else to go, and this way, I can just pick up and go if I need to.” Liz said. 

 “You’re welcome to use some of my safe houses.” He said. 

 “Thanks, but…” She said. 

 “Just let me know if you want to.” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 They sat quietly and sipped their wine for a while, watching people. 

 “How’s your sex life, Elizabeth?” Red asked. 

 Liz had to abandon the wine she was about to sip so that she wouldn’t choke. She put her glass down and gaped at him. 

 “What?” She asked. 

 “Have you met anyone since you and Tom split up?” Red asked. 

 Liz stared at him for several moments. 

 “No.” She said. 

 “Hm. Perhaps that’s contributing to your stress.” He said, glancing around casually at other pub patrons. 

 Liz continued to gape at him with an affronted expression. Red looked at her. 

 “What? You know as well as I do that good sex is… _very_ therapeutic.” He said smugly. 

 Liz finally turned back and looked at the dartboard on the wall. 

 “I’m just gonna pretend this conversation never happened.” She said comically. 

 Red smirked and sipped his wine. 

 Liz was stewing about his inappropriate question, and she decided to pay him back for it. 

 “Actually, how’s _your_ sex life, Red?” She asked, turning to him. 

 “Quiet at the moment.” He said, unfazed by her question. 

 Liz was disappointed by the lack of reaction, and she resumed watching some people play darts. 

 “Why don’t we…” Red began. 

 Liz’s stomach jumped nervously all of a sudden. 

 “Go somewhere nicer? This place is rubbing me the wrong way.” Red said. 

 “Where will we go?” Liz asked. 

 Red pulled his phone out and began texting. 

 “Perhaps that quaint cocktail bar downtown. I’m having an associate come to pick us up at your motel.” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Once Red finished the text message, he put his phone away and got up, so Liz followed him out of the pub. He offered his arm to her again and she took it. Liz glanced around and worriedly eyed a man who appeared to be urinating in the alley. Red was about to dismiss the man as a harmless drunk, but something didn’t feel right. As he and Lizzie walked past the alley on the way to the motel, the ‘drunk’ man suddenly became very agile and he hadn’t actually been busy urinating. He swiftly approached them, holding a boxcutter. Red realized this was a public place, so instead of calling attention to them with a loud gun, he just grabbed the man’s wrist. The assailant didn’t expect anyone to be crazy enough to reach towards the boxcutter, so he was caught off guard. Red held the man’s wrist and gripped his throat, pushing him further back into the alley. 

 Liz looked around to see if there were any other attackers, or witnesses, but they were alone. She followed Red and went partially down the alley, but then she stopped. The men went down to the end of the alley; she couldn’t see everything, but Red seemed to have the upper hand. 

 “Who sent you?” Red asked quietly. 

 The man could barely answer, as his throat was being squeezed. 

 “Fuck you.” He croaked. 

 Red overpowered him and used the man’s own hand to shove the boxcutter into his neck; he forced the man’s hand, and the boxcutter, horizontally along the side of his neck. Liz heard a strange noise like liquid spraying and hitting some cans and cardboard in the alley, and she felt sick as she realized it was blood spray. Her stomach lurched as she watched Red gently lower the man to the ground. Liz looked behind her and listened carefully, but no one was around. Red quickly returned to Lizzie. 

 “Let’s go.” Red said, ushering Lizzie out of the alley. 

 “Who was he?” Liz asked as they walked hurriedly towards her motel room. 

 “I don’t know.” He said. 

 “There are more people watching me?” She asked worriedly. 

 “Could be. But I’ll keep you safe, Lizzie.” He said. 

 They reached the motel room and Liz put her key in. 

 “Wait. I’ll go first.” Red said. 

 Red drew his gun and opened the door; the room was empty, so he gestured for Lizzie to go in. 

 “Grab your things. We’ll go to my safe house.” Red said. 

 Liz turned the light on and stared, a little horrified, at the blood spatter on Red’s sleeve, shoulder, collar, and cheek. 

 “Quickly.” He urged her. 

 Liz snapped out of it and rushed around to grab her stuff. She threw it in her overnight bag. 

 “Okay, I’m ready.” She said. 

 A car pulled up out front of the room and Red looked out to make sure it was his associate that he’d texted, which it was. He and Lizzie went out and she locked the door. 

 “You won’t be back here. Throw the key in the mail slot.” Red said. 

 Liz hesitated for a moment, then she did as he said. They got into the backseat of the black sedan with tinted windows. Liz had never met the man driving, but Red obviously trusted him, so it was okay. She felt the adrenaline still coursing through her system, so she took a deep breath. 

 “Sorry about that, Lizzie. It kind of spoiled the evening.” Red said. 

 Liz gaped at him; she didn’t know how to respond to that, so she just stayed quiet. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Inside the safe house, Red turned the lights on and double-checked to make sure it was all safe and everything was as it should be, then he took Lizzie’s luggage bag from her. 

 “Make yourself at home, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz didn’t know how Red managed to act so normal while he was covered in blood, but she supposed that was typical of him. 

 “…You need to get cleaned up, Red.” Liz said, cringing slightly. 

 “Yes…I do. I’ll be right back.” Red said. 

 He went into the bathroom, closed the door and looked in the mirror; he was quite a sight with the blood all over his right side. Red sighed and undressed, putting the clothes into the plastic garbage bag. He turned the shower on, then stepped in and began washing. The rusty pink water swirled down the drain and Red thought about how the man had been left-handed, with black hair, olive or tan skin, and dark eyes; he had a diamond earring in his left earlobe. He believed Rivers had someone matching that description working for him. The three idiots he’d killed earlier that day obviously weren’t the only ones watching Lizzie. He’d have to take out the others, and Rivers, quickly. 

 Liz was sitting on the sofa in the living room area of the lavish beach-condo-style safe house. She surveyed the surroundings but she was still thinking about the attack and how Red killed the man without hesitation. She vividly recalled the horrible sound of the man’s blood spraying everywhere. Liz felt a chill go through her, so she looked at the fuzzy throw on the back of the sofa, then she pulled it down and wrapped up in it. She wondered who the assailant was and why he went after them; she wondered who the other people were who had been following her, and why they were doing it. Liz felt a sense of frustration mixed with despair about her situation; how long would this last? When was her life going to be normal? When would she be safe? She heard the bathroom door open and she glanced towards it. She caught a brief glimpse of Red wearing a white towel around his waist, walking from the bathroom into the bedroom. Liz got a bit excited when she saw him like that, but she immediately dismissed the feeling. This was hardly the time and place for it; they’d just been ambushed by a man with a boxcutter, and Red had just killed him. 

 Red got dressed more casually so that he would be comfortable; he put some trousers on and his belt, but he just wore a shirt and he didn’t put his shoes back on. He walked out of the bedroom and joined Lizzie in the living room; she was sitting curled up on the sofa, wrapped in the throw. Red felt bad for adding to her stress, anxiety and trauma. He went and sat beside her. 

 “Are you okay, Lizzie?” Red asked gently. 

 Liz looked at him. 

 “…Sort of.” She said quietly. 

 “I’m sorry you had to see that…” He said. 

 Liz fluffed the fuzzy throw higher around her neck in an effort to feel comforted. She nodded subtly. 

 “Why are people following me?” She asked. 

 “…I’m afraid it’s because of me. They know how close we are…how much you mean to me…and they want to hurt me.” He said regretfully. 

 Liz felt her heart sinking, and she swallowed hard. 

 “When is it going to stop?” She asked, although she was scared to hear the answer. 

 “…I don’t know, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz figured that was better than “never”, but she felt upset anyway. She wrapped the throw a little more tightly around herself and she stared at the floor. 

 “I’m sorry.” Red said. 

 Liz nodded; she understood that Red wasn’t doing it on purpose, it was just a consequence of the life he led. Red studied Lizzie. 

 “How about you have a nice warm shower? It’s very therapeutic.” Red said. 

 “Like ‘good sex’?” Liz said, smirking. 

 Red was delighted Lizzie still had her sense of humor. 

 “Yes.” He said, smiling lightly. 

 Liz sighed and reluctantly took the throw off. 

 “Alright.” She said. 

 Liz looked through her luggage bag and grabbed some pyjamas, then she went into the bathroom, which was still warm and humid. It felt and smelled lovely in there. She closed the door and got undressed, then she turned the water on and stepped into the shower. Liz sighed relaxedly as she was warmed and soothed by the water. Red was right about it being therapeutic; he was also right about good sex. She could use some of that, too. She dismissed the thought immediately. Liz had forgotten to take her shampoo and soap into the bathroom, so she used Red’s products. The scent was amazing; it was rejuvenating, enticing, intriguing, and very arousing. She kept breathing it in as she washed her hair, then she enjoyed rubbing the soap all over her body, knowing she was going to smell of it probably for the rest of the night. 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	2. Chapter 2

 Red was in the kitchen, cutting up some apples to have with a caramel dip. He heard the shower turn off, and he thought about how nice it was to have some company in his safe house for a change, especially Lizzie’s company. A couple of minutes later, the bathroom door opened; Red looked up from the apples and saw Lizzie step out in some plaid pyjama pants and a gray t-shirt. He smiled fondly at her as she approached him.

 “I forgot to take my shampoo and soap in with me, so I used yours. I hope you don’t mind.” Liz said. 

 “I don’t mind at all. Sorry I don’t have a hair dryer; I don’t have a need for one.” Red said, smirking a little.

 Liz smiled. 

 “That’s okay. What are you doing?” She said, surveying the apple slices. 

 “Preparing a snack for us. Apples and caramel dip.” He said. 

 Red was enthralled by the “mm” sound Lizzie made in response. 

 “There. All done. Let’s go sit in the living room.” Red said. 

 Red started walking, carrying both plates, but Lizzie was in the way. She backed up and was ushered into the living room, apparently feeling a bit useless. He found this adorable. They sat on the sofa and Red handed her a plate. 

 “Thanks.” Liz said. 

 “You’re welcome.” Red said softly. 

 They sat quietly together and enjoyed their snack, then Red watched Lizzie put her index finger to her mouth; she delicately sucked a little bit of caramel off the tip of her finger. He felt somewhat aroused, so he looked away and mentally scolded himself. _Now is not the time_ , he thought. Red took their plates into the kitchen and washed them, then he returned to Lizzie. He sat down and she was watching him, so he smiled gently at her. 

 “Red…” Liz began. 

 “…Yes, sweetheart?” Red probed when she hesitated. 

 “How do you manage to stay so…normal…with everything that goes on?” She asked timidly. 

 Red leaned back and crossed his legs as he considered her question. 

 “This is probably not very comforting, but…you just get used to it after a while. Also, it’s often a situation where it’s you or them…or someone you care about. Your instincts kick in and you decide it’s going to be them.” He said. 

 Liz was intrigued; perhaps Red wasn’t completely psychopathic after all.

 “That makes sense.” She said. 

 “Oh good!” He said, like he was surprised it made sense.

 Liz chuckled, then Red smirked a little. They looked into each other’s eyes for a few moments. 

 “Who are they? Who’s been watching me, and why?” Liz asked. 

 “There’s a man I’m somewhat acquainted with. He sees me as a threat and he wants to take me down a few notches, to put it mildly.” Red said. 

 “Does he want to kill you? Or me?” She asked. 

 Red sighed. 

 “I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. If he wanted to do that, he would have killed me by now; or his people would have killed you. I think he wants what I have, and he wants to hurt me or humiliate me in some way.” He said. 

 Liz swallowed hard and felt worried again. 

 “How do we find out what he really wants?” She asked. 

 “I’ll have my people dig around for intel. I’ll see what they say, then I’ll meet with him.” He said. 

 “Isn’t that ridiculously dangerous?” She asked. 

 “Perhaps. It depends on what his goal is.” He said. 

 Liz felt worried for Red. She picked up the throw and wrapped it around her again, then she curled up on the sofa, facing him. Silence fell over them as they both got lost in thought for a while. Liz rested her head against the back of the sofa. Red studied Lizzie and she looked tired. 

 “Are you ready for bed, Lizzie? You look tired.” Red said softly. 

 Liz was tired, but she was enjoying Red’s company and she didn’t want to go to bed yet. 

 “No, I’m okay, I’m just relaxing.” Liz said. 

 Red smiled warmly. 

 “I’m glad you’re relaxing. You’ve had quite an eventful evening.” Red said. 

 Liz was reminded of the attack.

 “Yeah. Red, what if the…body is discovered?” Liz asked. 

 “It’s a matter of _when_ it’s discovered, Lizzie, but it’ll be fine. His employer won’t want anything to come out about him or what he was doing there; they’ll pay off some corrupt officers to make it go away.” Red said. 

 Red watched Lizzie and she bit her lip nervously as she got lost in thought. He gently touched her knee to get her attention, and she looked at him. 

 “Sweetheart. Trust me, it will be okay.” He said. 

 Although Liz was still worried about everything, she did actually trust Red, so she tried to relax again.

 “I trust you…I’m just worried. This is all very serious.” She said. 

 Red leaned back and took on a jovial demeanor. 

 “Well, let’s lighten the mood, shall we? What would you like to talk about?” Red said cheerfully. 

 Liz smiled a little at his eccentricity, then she considered some options; she chose to pry a little to try and satisfy her curiosity. 

 “Earlier…you said your love life is quiet at the moment. Isn’t that unusual for you? Don’t you constantly have women throwing themselves at you?” Liz said. 

 Red briefly chuckled and shook his head. 

 “First of all, I said my sex life is quiet at the moment. There’s a distinction. And no, I don’t constantly have women ‘throwing themselves' at me.” He said amusedly. 

 “Oh I’m sorry. I stand corrected.” She said sarcastically. 

 Liz was glad to see Red smirk; his eyes glinted with affection and amusement. They fell quiet for a few moments. 

 “Is your love life quiet, too?” Liz asked. 

 “…I guess you could say that.” Red said.

 “Oh…that sounds mysterious…” She said.

 Red silently gazed at Lizzie. Liz noticed that his demeanor became more subdued. Their conversation needed to be shocked back to life. 

 “My love life is quiet too, and I haven’t had good sex for _ages_.” Liz blurted out. 

 Red stared at her, a little taken aback. He realized that her comment implied she didn’t have good sex even while she was still with Tom, which was very interesting. 

 “Hm. I see.” Red said. 

 Liz realized her conversation attempt just made things even more awkward. 

 “Yep.” Liz said uncomfortably. 

 Liz shrugged and tried to appear interested in the artistic wall hangings. 

 “So, Tom didn’t…satisfy you?” Red asked boldly. 

 Liz suddenly looked at Red and she blushed lightly. 

 “Uh…” She began. 

 Liz gaped at Red, but she realized he wasn’t going to retract his inappropriate question. She figured she might as well answer it. 

 “He used to. Then…not always, then just occasionally…Then we stopped having sex before we split up.” Liz said. 

 Red scoffed and shook his head disapprovingly. 

 “Didn’t he realize he wasn’t pleasuring you? Pleasuring a woman is not rocket science.” Red said. 

 Liz couldn’t help laughing. Red was pleasantly surprised by Lizzie’s laughter; he hadn’t intended to make her laugh. 

 “Well it’s true.” He said. 

 “I think he just…kinda stopped caring.” She said more seriously. 

 Red frowned. 

 “That’s even worse. What a damn shame.” He said. 

 Liz didn’t know why Red seemed so annoyed about it; she just looked down and shrugged slightly. 

 “It _is_ a shame, Lizzie…you deserve to feel amazing, and to be pampered, pleasured and loved properly.” Red said. 

 Liz blushed and felt very aroused all of a sudden; the way Red was talking, he sounded like he wanted to give that to her, and the idea turned her on—a _lot._

 “Um…” Liz began. 

 “Yes, I know, you’re going to pretend this conversation never happened.” Red joked. 

 Liz forced a brief chuckle, but on the contrary, she very much wanted this conversation to continue. She watched Red glance at the clock on the wall. 

 “It’s getting late. Will you be able to sleep?” Red said. 

 “Um…yeah…” Liz said. 

 “Okay. There’s a spare room, you might have seen it next to the bathroom.” He said. 

 “…I might just sleep here on the sofa, actually.” She said. 

 Red gave her a puzzled look. 

 “I like to have something against my back; it helps me sleep. I feel more secure.” She explained. 

 Red wished he could spoon Lizzie all night to make her feel secure. They looked at each other for a few moments. 

 “Well, whatever makes you more comfortable.” He said. 

 Liz gave him a small nod; she watched him get up from the sofa and she didn’t want him to leave yet. 

 “Besides, I really like this blanket. It’s so cozy.” She said, stalling. 

 “Yes, it’s nice. Goodnight, Lizzie.” He said. 

 “…Goodnight, Red.” She said, unable to think of anything else to say to keep him there. 

 Liz watched Red walk away and go into the master bedroom, then she lay down, resting her cheek on a luxurious velour cushion. She had her back against the back of the sofa, and she felt safe. She also knew that Red would protect her, and she found herself relaxing and feeling more sleepy. Liz dozed off, then a while later, she heard something and woke up. She realized Red was coming out of the bathroom. She squinted at the annoyingly bright light as he left it on; she then noticed that he was only wearing some black boxer briefs. Liz was not expecting that. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep so that he wouldn’t see her checking him out. Red went into the kitchen and got a sip of water, then he paused to check on Lizzie on the way back. 

 Liz could sense Red was nearby, so she opened her eyes. 

 “Sorry, sweetheart. I had to get a drink and I just wanted to see if you were okay.” Red said quietly. 

 “It’s okay.” Liz said, trying to just focus on his face. 

 Red gave her a nod, then he turned to go back to the bedroom. Liz saw the texture of his scarred back in the dim light; something in her mind clicked into place. 

 “Red?” She said, propping herself up on her elbow.

 “Yes?” He asked, turning to face her again. 

 “Did you…were you…” She began, then she sighed frustratedly; she didn’t know how to broach the subject. 

 “What?” He asked gently. 

 “Were you in the same fire that I was in? Did you…save me?” She asked. 

 Red hadn’t expected Lizzie to remember that, but perhaps she was just drawing a conclusion based on the deep connection they had to each other. 

 “…Let’s go back to sleep…” He said softly, then he walked into the bedroom. 

 Liz took that as a ‘yes’. She felt frustrated, curious, and yet humbled. Red had saved her even way back then. She wondered why, and what had happened. She lay there for quite a while, thinking about all the possibilities, and she couldn’t get back to sleep. Liz got up and went to the bedroom doorway, intent on waking Red and asking about the fire. In the moonlight, she could see him laying on his back, on top of the blankets, with one knee bent; his face was turned to the window and his one arm was up, with his hand under the pillow. She froze and just stood there, surveying his sleeping form. _Wow, he really is attractive…_ she thought. After studying him for another moment, including looking at the outline of the bulge in his boxer briefs, she quietly backed out of the doorway and returned to the sofa. Liz got comfy on the sofa again and eventually fell asleep. 

 (To Be Continued…)

 


	3. Chapter 3

 Red got up early in the morning and threw on a robe, then he went out into the living room to check on Lizzie. She was fast asleep, with her cheek squished against the soft cushion and the throw blanket almost up to her nose. He smiled at how cute and cozy she looked; after gazing at her for a few moments, he went into the kitchen to start preparing breakfast for them. He got out the frying pan as quietly as he could, and retrieved some butter and eggs from the fridge.

 Liz awoke to the sounds and aromas of cooking, which was very pleasant. She realized she was in Red’s safe house and he must be making breakfast. She looked around and sat up, then she went into the bathroom. She went pee and then she found herself fussing a little over her appearance. Liz made her hair look as best she could, then she washed her hands and made her way into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw the sliced oranges, coffee, and omelettes Red had just put on the table. 

 “Perfect timing, Lizzie.” Red said, gesturing for her to sit down. 

 Liz sat at the table and Red joined her. She smiled at him. 

 “Thanks, Red.” She said. 

 “Don’t thank me until you try it.” He said, smirking. 

 Liz tried some of the omelette and it was fantastic. 

 “Mm.” She responded. 

 Red smiled and began eating, too. They quietly enjoyed their breakfast for a while, and Liz was thinking about the way Red completely ignored her question about the fire. 

 “Red…why do you have to be so secretive all the time?” She asked. 

 “I have a lot of secrets.” He said, stating the obvious. 

 Liz gave him a sarcastic look, but he didn’t say anything else, so she just dropped it. He had a way of putting up a wall that she couldn’t get past. They finished breakfast, then Red took their dishes to the sink. Liz got up and joined him at the sink. 

 “Let me help.” She said. 

 “No, Lizzie. Go get ready for the day.” He said. 

 Liz stubbornly had the urge to grab the dishes from him and wash them herself, but she refrained. She nodded and went to get some clothes from her bag, then she went into the bathroom to change. She fixed her hair and brushed her teeth, then she nearly bumped into Red as she came out of the bathroom. He was on his way into the bedroom. 

 “Oh, sorry.” Liz said. 

 They tried to carry on but got in each other’s way again; at this moment, Liz looked up into Red’s eyes as they stood very close in front of each other. They both paused and Red smiled because of their awkward little dance. He saw Lizzie briefly glance at his chest, where his robe was parted, but she quickly looked away. 

 “I’ll go this way, you go that way.” Red suggested. 

 “Okay.” Liz laughed.

 They went their separate ways, and Liz went and sat on the sofa, feeling a little warm and flustered. Red smirked to himself in the bedroom; Lizzie was so sweet. Liz turned the TV on, worriedly scanning news channels for something about the body in the alley. There was nothing; either he hadn’t been discovered yet, or it was covered up, as Red said it would be. The thought of a cover-up was disturbing, yet it was a relief; it would mean she and Red wouldn’t be hauled in for questioning, or worse. Liz guiltily turned the TV off when Red appeared from the bedroom. 

 “I told you it would be okay, Lizzie.” Red said, knowing perfectly well what she’d been up to. 

 Liz blushed lightly and nodded. She surveyed Red in his trousers, shirt and vest, then she realized he was watching her check him out. 

 “…That’s a nice color…the gray…” Liz said, excusing her gawking.

 “Thank you.” Red said, then he sat next to Lizzie on the sofa. 

 “Did you sleep well?” He asked. 

 “Yeah, pretty well, actually. You?” She said. 

 “I did.” He said. 

 They looked at each other and Red started smiling. 

 “When I got up this morning, you looked very cozy in the blanket. It made me smile.” He said affectionately. 

 “Oh…yeah, I like this blanket…” She said shyly. 

 “You should keep it.” He said. 

 “What?” She asked, chuckling. 

 “Yes. Take it when you leave here, then you can be cozy wherever you are.” He said softly. 

 They gazed into each other’s eyes, and Liz didn’t want to leave the safe house, or be away from Red. 

 “…Okay.” She said quietly, feeling a little disappointed. 

 “But don’t pack it yet; you’ll be staying with me for a while.” He said. 

 Liz felt relieved. 

 “Oh?” Liz responded. 

 “I won’t have you staying in some motel, alone, while this situation is going on.” Red said protectively. 

 Liz gave him a small smile. 

 “Thanks, Red.” She said. 

 Red nodded. 

 Liz started getting overwhelmed by all the things she had to consider and deal with: task force business, staying safe, Red’s plans.

 “So…what do we have to do today?” Liz asked, already feeling stressed. 

 Red considered it for a few moments. 

 “I have to hear back from some sources, but other than that, we can just lie low.” He said. 

 “…What about the task force?” She asked. 

 “They don’t need us at the moment. They’re still chasing leads.” He said. 

 “Red, do you want to give the name of this…guy who’s after you…to the task force?” She asked. 

 “No.” He said plainly. 

 “They could help.” She said. 

 “No, Lizzie. I’ll deal with it myself.” He said. 

 Liz swallowed hard; she hoped that didn’t mean Red would go on a revenge spree. She stared at him for several moments. Red’s burner phone rang from his trouser pocket. 

 “That was fast.” Red said. 

 Liz smirked slightly at his comical tone; she watched Red answer the phone. 

 “Yes?…Right…very well.” Red said, then he hung up. 

 “Useless…” He said under his breath, putting his phone in his pocket. 

 Liz raised her eyebrows and looked at him expectantly. 

 “Nothing yet.” Red said. 

 “Oh okay. So now what?” Liz said. 

 “We just relax for a while.” He said, then he put his feet up on the coffee table. 

 Liz was on edge, though. The suspense of everything was bothering her; she wanted to know what was going on, when, and why, and she wanted to know it now. Liz sighed frustratedly and leaned back dramatically. Red turned to look at her. 

 “What’s the matter?” Red asked. 

 Liz gaped at him. 

 “In case you haven’t noticed, this is a very stressful situation.” She said. 

 “I realize that, but there’s no point in getting worked up about it.” He said, studying her. 

 Liz sighed again. 

 “Just try to relax, Lizzie.” Red said. 

 Liz sat quietly for about a minute. 

 “I can’t.” She said abruptly. 

 Red found this somewhat amusing. 

 “Sweetheart…turn around.” Red said softly. 

 “Why?” Liz asked suspiciously. 

 “Just do it.” He said gently. 

 Liz stared at Red for a few moments, then she nervously turned away from him. She was glancing around and listening as she wondered what he was going to do, then she felt his hands gently grasp her muscles between her neck and shoulders. Liz began blushing at this intimate contact; Red lightly squeezed her tight muscles and she seemed to melt under his touch. 

 “You really needed this, didn’t you sweetheart?” Red observed. 

 Liz closed her eyes and sighed very quietly. 

 “ _YES_.” She agreed emphatically. 

 Liz revelled in the sensation of Red’s warm, strong hands massaging her knotted muscles. Red heard Lizzie actually moan from his efforts, and he was pleasantly surprised; he smirked and continued the massage. He gently dug his thumbs into her back near her shoulder blades, and she whimpered softly. Red started to get aroused from hearing the sweet sound, and he eagerly carried on down Lizzie’s back to please her. He hoped he would hear some more sounds of pleasure from her, and he did. She sighed, then as he touched her lower back, she giggled, which delighted him. 

 “Sorry, it’s just…it tickles.” Liz said. 

 “Oh…is that why you haven't had a massage in a while? You’re too ticklish?” Red asked. 

 “No, I just don’t have anyone to give me a massage. I could pay for a massage therapist, but I’d have to find someone I trusted, and there’s the paying part. It’s so nice of you to do this for me, Red.” Liz said. 

 Red smiled as he listened to her. 

 “No problem, Lizzie. I’ll do it for you anytime.” He said. 

 Liz started blushing again. 

 “…Thanks…” She said quietly. 

 The lower Red’s hands went, the more aroused Liz became; she felt his hands almost on her hips as he gently pushed into the muscles above her butt cheeks. She wondered if Red was actually going to massage her butt, but then he stopped and lightly rubbed her entire back. 

 “There.” Red, indicating the massage was finished. 

 Liz turned around to face him. 

 “Thank you!” She said, slumping sideways against the back of the sofa. 

 “You’re welcome.” Red said, smiling. 

 They stared at each other. 

 “How about you, do you need a massage?” Liz asked. 

 Red wasn’t expecting that. 

 “…No, I’m fine, thank you sweetheart.” He said. 

 “Are you sure? I’d like to return the favor.” She said. 

 “…I’m sure.” He said.

 Liz felt a bit disappointed; Red still seemed reluctant to let her get close to him. They looked at each other, then Red spontaneously picked up a newspaper from the coffee table and started reading it. Liz was a little astonished, but she gave up on the massage idea; his wall had gone up again. 

 “…Anything interesting in the paper?” Liz asked. 

 “Not really.” Red said, flipping the page. 

 Liz looked around, now bored without Red’s attention. The massage had been a tantalizing interaction, and she wondered if maybe there could be something more between them sometime. She found herself hoping there would be. Liz kept glancing at Red as he skimmed the newspaper; she got excited when he was on the last page. She eagerly waited and watched him close it and put it on the coffee table, finally. He looked at her and she smiled. 

 Red noticed Lizzie had been watching him the entire time, like a puppy waiting to be taken for a walk. He smirked. 

 “Sweetheart…what would you like to do now?” He asked. 

 Liz was thrilled. 

 “Well, I thought maybe we could—“ She began. 

 Red’s phone rang. He answered it while Lizzie gaped at him for a moment, then she closed her mouth disappointedly.

 “Yes?…I see. Hm…that’s very helpful. Thank you.” Red said, then he hung up and put his phone away. 

 “Lizzie, there are still at least five people with orders to follow you. I have to go out for a little while.” He said. 

 “What? Who are the people watching me? There could be more than five? Where are you going?” She asked, feeling puzzled. 

 Red put his hands on her shoulders and leaned closer; Liz found herself wishing he would kiss her. 

 “It’ll be fine. Stay here, you’ll be safe. I won’t be long at all.” Red said. 

 “…Okay.” She reluctantly agreed. 

 “Alright. I’ll be right back.” He said, getting up. 

 Liz watched Red quickly go into the bedroom, then he put his jacket on by the door. He left and locked the door behind him, then everything was silent. She looked around again, feeling restless and a bit helpless. Liz sighed. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red was in the backseat of a car his associate was driving. He thought about Lizzie, alone at the safe house, and he figured it was better to be safe than sorry, so he called Dembe. 

 “Dembe, how are you?” Red said. 

 “I’m good, thanks, Raymond. What can I do for you?” Dembe said. 

 “I need you to go to the safe house and just make sure Elizabeth is okay. I won’t be out long, but I’d like you to be there in case she runs into trouble.” Red said. 

 “Understood. I’ll go there right away.” Dembe said. 

 “Thank you. I appreciate it.” Red said. 

 “You’re welcome, Raymond.” Dembe said.

 They hung up and Red put his phone in his jacket pocket. He took his handgun out and double checked it was loaded, then he put it back in its holster under his jacket.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz had made some coffee and she was flipping channels on TV, still feeling like she should be doing something more important. She couldn’t even if she’d wanted to; Red hadn’t told her any names or locations, so she just had to wait for him to return. She heard the faint noise of a car on the gravel drive, so she got up and cautiously went to the window. It looked like one of Red’s sedans. Liz waited a few moments, watching, then she saw Dembe get out of the driver’s side. He looked around and approached the front of the safe house. The doorbell rang, which activated a security intercom and video feed, but Liz wasn’t sure how to get it to open the door, so she just ran downstairs. She opened the door. 

 “Hi Dembe.” Liz said, smiling. 

 “Hi Elizabeth. Raymond asked me to come by. Is everything okay?” Dembe said. 

 “Come in. I’m fine, but I don’t know where Red—Raymond is.” She said. 

 “I don’t know that either.” Dembe said, chuckling. 

 Liz chuckled and shook her head at Red’s strange ways. 

 “I’ve made coffee, did you want some?” She asked, leading the way up the stairs to the upper level. 

 “I would love some, thank you.” He said. 

 Liz smiled, pleased that she could do something useful. She poured the coffee. 

 “How do you take your coffee?” She asked. 

 “Milk and two sugars, please.” He said. 

 “Oh, same as me. Same as Red, too. I guess we all have a bit of a sweet tooth.” She said. 

 They chuckled. Liz added the milk and sugar, then she gave the mug to Dembe. They sat at the kitchen table together and Liz watched him take his gun out of his belt and put it on the table. 

 “Is Red expecting trouble?” She asked, concerned. 

 “No, he is just being cautious. He is an extremely cautious man, as you know.” He said. 

 “Yeah, at least I know that much about him…” She said wistfully. 

 Dembe eyed her and he could tell she was starting to get attached to Raymond. 

 “He cares about you very much, Elizabeth.” He said. 

 Liz gave him a small smile and she nodded. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red walked into a derelict victorian house across from what was Lizzie’s motel room. He’d entered through a side door with a broken lock. He managed to walk up the old stairs without making a sound, which was great; he loved making an entrance. At the landing, he could see a man sitting on an old milk crate at the window, with binoculars. Red sincerely hoped Lizzie had always closed her curtains when she’d gotten changed. He brought his attention back to the current situation. 

 “Well, isn’t this a fun little stake-out?” Red said, scaring the daylights out of the man. 

 The man fumbled around and brandished a gun, however Red already had his gun aimed at his head. The man dropped his gun and raised his hands. 

 “I assume you weren’t here last night, when your colleague unfortunately almost cut his own head off with a boxcutter just across the way…” Red said. 

 The man got a stricken look on his face and he shook his head subtly. 

 “I figured as much. Otherwise, you wouldn’t still be tailing Elizabeth Keen. You’d know what the risks are. I also assume Rivers hasn’t told you what this job really involves. Did you sign a waiver? Do you have life insurance?” Red said. 

 The man stared at him and shook his head again. 

 “Well, you should have, because following Ms. Keen involves dying.” Red said. 

 “Please…no…I’ve got kids.” The man said. 

 “…Show me your wallet. The kids’ pictures.” Red said, wanting proof. 

 “I don’t have their pictures in my wallet.” The man said.

 Red took aim again. 

 “Wait! They’re on my phone…nobody has pictures in their wallets anymore…” The man pointed out. 

 “Oh for goodness’ sake…show me your phone, then.” Red said. 

 The man very carefully reached for his phone and showed Red the phone’s wallpaper, of the man with a little boy and girl. Red sighed. 

 “…Fine.” Red said, lowering his gun. 

 “Go home to your kids. Now.” He said. 

 The man hesitated, then he quickly went past Red and out of the house. Red shook his head and cursed under his breath; he wished he could’ve just eliminated the man but he couldn’t take the kids’ dad away from them. 

 (To Be Continued…)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow update!

 Liz and Dembe were sitting at the kitchen table, eating muffins, when they heard a noise from downstairs. Liz got worried, but Dembe heard a key.

 “It’s okay, it will be Raymond.” Dembe said. 

 “Honey, I’m home!” Red joked as he entered the kitchen. 

 They smiled at each other about his grand entrance. Red went over to Dembe and patted him on the back. 

 “Thanks for being here, Dembe.” He said. 

 “No problem, Raymond.” Dembe said. 

 Liz was taken aback when Red cheerfully kissed her on the head; she started blushing and she looked wide-eyed at Dembe, who just smiled. 

 “…Did your…errand go well?” Liz asked, astonished. 

 “Yes. One down, at least four to go.” Red said. 

 Liz furrowed her brow with worry, but Red shook his head dismissively. 

 “Don’t worry, I didn’t kill him. I told him to go home to his children.” Red said. 

 Liz found it somewhat hard to believe. 

 “Seriously. The man had two small kids; I couldn’t kill him. Besides, he was inept and didn’t pose much of a threat. Unlike the boxcutter fellow.” Red said. 

 “Okay. Well, that’s good you didn’t kill anyone. And it’s good that he’s not going to be following me anymore.” Liz said. 

 Dembe finished his muffin, then he got up. 

 “I have to be going, Raymond, Elizabeth. I hope you have a nice day.” Dembe said. 

 They both thanked him again and then he left. 

 “It was nice to see Dembe again, but you know I have my own gun and I’m trained to use it, right?” Liz said. 

 “I know. I just felt better knowing you’d have some help if you needed it.” Red said. 

 Liz was glad that Red wasn’t babying her. 

 “Thanks, Red.” She said. 

 “You’re welcome.” He said. 

 Red then helped himself to a muffin as well. He sat down at the table and looked at Lizzie. 

 “At the motel…you kept your curtains closed whenever you changed, right?” Red asked. 

 Liz gave him a confused look. 

 “Yeah, of course. Why?” She said. 

 “Just wondering.” He said. 

 Liz eyed him and wondered what that was about. Red didn’t want to tell Lizzie there had been probably a few different men watching her from the victorian house across the street from the motel; that would only make her more nervous. They looked at each other, lost in thought, and Liz felt a little embarrassed that Red wanted to know if she’d closed her curtains whenever she’d gotten naked. Why was he thinking of that? She felt her cheeks getting warm. Red noticed that Lizzie looked flushed; he found it adorable, but he wondered why she was blushing. They just sat quietly and glanced at each other while Red ate his muffin, then he got up and put the muffin paper in the garbage. He turned to Lizzie, who still looked adorably awkward. 

 “Lizzie…earlier, when I asked you what you wanted to do…what were you going to say? We were interrupted.” Red said. 

 “Oh, um…I was going to say maybe we could watch TV together.” Liz said. 

 “Oh. We can do that now, if you like.” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said, smiling. 

 They went into the living room and sat on the sofa together; Red watched amusedly as Lizzie sat right next to him and curled up in the throw that she loved so much. He smiled lightly and turned the TV on. 

 “Here. Find something you’d like to watch, sweetheart.” Red said, holding out the remote. 

 Liz wanted to stay wrapped up in the blanket, so she opened the blanket for Red to put the remote inside. He reached into the blanket and put the remote in her hand, but he accidentally brushed against her breast as he withdrew. They both pretended not to notice, but inwardly, they were both excited about their unwitting intimate contact. Liz thought about how good it would feel for Red to touch her deliberately. Red thought about how lovely it was to touch Lizzie, even briefly; he wished he could caress her breasts as he kissed her. He crossed his legs and stared at the TV. 

 Liz surreptitiously glanced at Red and then she took a chance and gently leaned against him; he didn’t seem to mind, so she relaxed against him. She felt him move and she pulled away, but he was just freeing his arm so that he could put it around her. He held his arm out and after hesitating for a moment, she snuggled up to him. Liz felt so comforted against Red’s warm body, she sighed contentedly without really meaning to. 

 Red heard Lizzie sigh quietly as she rested against him, and he lightly rubbed her arm in response. She seemed to really like this; she nuzzled her cheek against the front of his shoulder. Liz was enthralled with Red, especially now that she was cuddling with him. He had a warm, comforting, strong and sexy way about him that she couldn’t really describe other than to think it was ‘manly’. She was reminded of how long it had been since she’d experienced this feeling and how she really wanted to have sex; especially with Red. Liz felt nervous all of a sudden and she wondered how she looked, and if Red was attracted to her. 

 “Is this what you want to watch?” Red asked amusedly. 

 They’d been stuck on an infomercial program for several minutes. 

 “Oh. No…” Liz said, chuckling, then she quickly flipped a few channels. 

 Liz got distracted again by Red’s amazing scented grooming products. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, revelling in the scent. She was so close to him, she could feel the warmth radiating from his neck. Liz subtly brought her face closer to Red’s neck; she wanted to kiss him, but she chickened out and stayed still. 

 “Are you cozy, sweetheart?” Red asked quietly. 

 “Yeah.” Liz said softly.

 She found herself snuggling closer to him at the sound of his low voice. She was becoming quite aroused; she wished she could put her hands all over him and put her hand into his trousers. Liz got even more turned on as she imagined what he might feel like. She decided to be a little more bold; she lightly moved her hand to his abdomen, just above his belt. He didn’t react, so she took that as a good sign. However, Red wasn’t making any moves in return. She wasn’t sure if he wanted to go further or if she was just going to make a complete ass of herself.

 Red heard Lizzie take a breath and sigh, then he felt her move slightly on his shoulder; her lips delicately brushed his neck. He felt a thrill and he immediately started becoming hard. 

 “Lizzie…” He said very quietly. 

 She made a small humming sound in response, and her lips touched his neck again. 

 “…What are you doing sweetheart?” Red asked as gently as possible. 

 She didn’t answer; she was feeling embarrassed. He moved away a little so that he could look at her. Their faces were close as they studied each other.  

 “…Because it feels like you want to kiss me…” Red said softly. 

 Liz blushed a shade darker, but his expression and tone of voice made her think he wanted to kiss, too. She watched him hopefully. Liz couldn’t quite believe it, but Red leaned closer and their lips very lightly touched. His lips brushed over hers, very subtly, not kissing her yet. She felt shaky all over with excitement, and she just kept getting more aroused. Red pulled back. 

 “Is that what you want, Lizzie? You want to kiss me?” Red said seductively. 

 Liz just nodded; she couldn’t seem to find her voice at the moment. Red smiled gently and lightly touched his lips to Lizzie’s, then he pressed into a full kiss. He heard the sweetest little whimper from her, and he put his hand on her cheek as they continued kissing softly. Liz felt warm and fuzzy, and like her body was buzzing with excitement; Red’s kiss was dizzyingly arousing. She couldn’t believe she was kissing him; this was _Red_ , the criminal, the infuriatingly arrogant informant. She put that out of her mind and focused on how attractive he was; he was suave, magnetic, sexy, handsome and so sweet to her. 

 Red was beyond thrilled that he was kissing his sweet, precious Lizzie. He had difficulty believing it was actually happening, but he allowed himself to get lost in the pleasure of it rather than the disbelief. He tasted her lips, and she eagerly opened her mouth for his tongue, so they deepened the kiss. Lizzie put her hand on his cheek and breathed more heavily as their kissing got more passionate. She had such a strong effect on Red, he could feel his erection straining against his clothes. It was made worse by hearing another cute whimper. They gently pulled apart and looked at each other. He adoringly surveyed Lizzie’s lustful, awestruck expression. 

 Liz was feeling very warm now, so she pushed the blanket off and to the side. She leaned closer and boldly kissed Red; she heard a very quiet, low “mm” sound and it turned her on even more. Her panties were progressively becoming more damp as they kissed. She put her hand on his chest, exploring him and feeling the soft, expensive fabric of his shirt. Liz ran her fingertips over the buttons of his vest, then she travelled down and put her hand on the bulge in his trousers. Red moaned breathily and broke the kiss. Liz withdrew her hand as she watched him expectantly. He turned so that they were facing each other better.

 “Sweetheart…please think carefully. Are you _sure_ you want to go further?” Red said. 

 Liz was more sure of this than anything else.

 “Yes.” She said. 

 Liz went to resume kissing and touching Red, but he gently stopped her. 

 “Lizzie, I don’t want you to regret it tomorrow, or sometime in the future. There’s no going back.” He said. 

 Red was worried about losing Lizzie if they made love and then she regretted it. He couldn’t handle not having her in his life again after they’d grown close. 

 “Red…I know. I’m sure. Do you want to go further with me?” Liz said. 

 “Yes, of course I do. You know how I feel about you…and you felt what you do to me…” Red said. 

 Liz was thrilled to hear that, and even more thrilled when Red kissed her. She lightly rubbed his chest as she passionately returned his kiss. Red ran his fingers through Lizzie’s hair, and he was delighted when she put her head back, following his touch. He leaned in and kissed her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her. He licked and gently sucked her neck, which made Lizzie breathe heavily and grasp his vest. 

 “Red…let’s go in the bedroom…” Liz said breathily. 

 Red pulled away and studied Lizzie’s face; he put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her irresistible lips. 

 “Alright, Lizzie.” He said quietly. 

 Liz felt her stomach do an excited somersault; she somehow didn’t expect him to agree, so she was ecstatic and nervous that he did. She noticed her knees felt shaky as she got up from the sofa. Red stood up and put his hand on her waist, then the small of her back as she walked in front of him to the master bedroom. Liz walked over to the bed, then she turned around and looked at Red. 

 Red could tell Lizzie was a little nervous, so he took off his suit jacket and draped it over a chair, then he began unbuttoning his vest. Liz watched him undo and take off the vest, then he gave her a charming smile before starting on his shirt. Red was somewhat amused by the way Lizzie was just standing there, watching him raptly. He took his shirt off and she checked him out in his undershirt. She watched him undo his belt, and she swallowed hard; despite wearing so many layers, he would soon be naked. Liz snapped out of her daze and took her top off, much to Red’s pleasure. He gazed appreciatively at her bra, cleavage and waist for a few moments, then he took his shoes and socks off. When Red stood upright again, Lizzie had taken her bra off; he was floored by her beauty, and by seeing her like this. She blushed at the way he was looking at her. 

 “You are so beautiful.” Red said softly. 

 Liz smiled and pulled down her skinny jeans; she took them off as Red watched her, then she excitedly watched him take his trousers off. He put them over the chair with is other clothes, then he took his undershirt off. They lustfully surveyed each other as they stood in their underwear, trying to decide who would go first. Red gave Liz a suggestive smirk, as if to dare her to get naked first. She surprised him by pulling her panties down and stepping out of them immediately. He made a quiet “mmm” sound as he looked at her neatly trimmed pubic hair. Liz gave him an excited smile and she bit her lip, waiting for him to take his boxer briefs off. She could tell from the outline of his erection that he was well-endowed; she desperately wanted to see him naked. Red made Lizzie wait a few moments, in his typical dramatic manner, but then he pulled down his boxer briefs and stepped out of them. He was very pleased with the way she was lustfully eyeing his erection. Liz felt her cheeks get warm, and she felt the warmth and wetness rush to between her legs in anticipation. 

 Red approached Lizzie and lightly touched her cheek while he leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met softly but their kissing quickly became heated again. He felt her hands go to his bare chest, gently caressing him. He brushed his hands over her shoulders and upper arms, then he gently put his hands on her back as they continued kissing. Liz felt Red’s warm, soothing hands on her back and she hummed her pleasure into the kiss. They paused to catch their breath and Red moved his hands to Lizzie’s front, softly cupping her breasts. Liz watched the way he looked at her and felt how loving his caress was, and her knees felt a bit weak again. 

 “Let’s get on the bed…” Liz said quietly. 

 Red smiled and watched Lizzie go into the middle of the large bed; she knelt and waited, unsure of what position they would get into. He joined her on the bed and kissed her firmly, encouraging her to lay on her back. Red lay close beside Lizzie and they continued kissing heatedly. She reached over and lightly stroked along his length; they both moaned quietly as they kissed. Liz revelled in feeling Red’s warm, silky smooth member in her hand. She felt his fingers travel down her lower abdomen, tickling her, and then he pressed them against her moist flesh. She whimpered as he gently pressed and rubbed her clit in little circles. 

 Red was enraptured by the sensations of Lizzie’s delicate, soft flesh and her clit becoming firmer under his fingertips. He felt her move against his fingers and he heard her whimper very quietly, which drove him crazy. He lightly slid his middle finger between her inner lips and it became coated with her fluid. 

 “Mmm…you’re very wet for me, aren’t you sweetheart?” Red said seductively. 

 “Yes…” Liz said breathily. 

 She was breathing heavily as she felt Red rub her sensitive opening with his fingertip; he was so gentle and skilled, she felt like she could climax if he kept doing it. However, Liz wanted more from him. She tightened her fingers around his erection and stroked more firmly. He moaned softly. 

 “Red…I want you inside me…” Liz said intensely. 

 Red didn’t hesitate before getting on top of Lizzie and positioning himself at her wet opening. He felt her grinding her hips and saw the lustful expression on her face; he couldn’t hold off any longer, either. He gently nudged her, feeling her wetness on his tip for the first time. 

 “Oh god, Lizzie…” Red said breathily. 

 Liz blushed and felt thrilled that she was having such an effect on Red. She felt him enter her, and she moaned with pleasure already. She caressed his shoulders and lightly rubbed her inner thighs on him. Red slid in further, then he paused before delicately nudging in all the way. Liz was thrilled by the way he filled her perfectly; she had the romantic thought that they were meant to fit together. She felt him start moving, slowly pulling back and gliding in again. 

 “Ohhh Red…” Liz moaned breathily. 

 Red was pretty much euphoric from hearing Lizzie’s pleasure, seeing her beautiful face and blue eyes looking up at him, feeling her warm, slippery walls snugly gripping him. He kissed her soft lips and adoringly caressed the side of her head as he began thrusting more steadily. They both moaned into the kiss from the amazing pleasure. Red felt Lizzie’s inner thighs rub against him as she moved her legs higher at his sides. He also felt her hands tighten on his shoulders, so he quickened his pace slightly. 

 “Mmm…Yeah…” Liz purred. 

 This was the most pleasure Liz had felt from sex in a long time; Red was amazing. He was gentle, yet his thrusts caused the perfect amount of friction inside her; he was rubbing her sensitive opening and every pleasurable spot inside her. Liz’s legs began trembling lightly. Red was gratified to feel Lizzie trembling and to see the concentration on her face; she was definitely going to orgasm with him, unlike with Tom. He almost smirked out of smugness, but he managed to just focus on bringing Lizzie to her climax. Red quickened his thrusting. 

 “Do you like that, baby?” Red asked seductively. 

 “Mm…yes…” Liz whimpered. 

 They both felt their lovemaking becoming amazingly lubricated as they got closer to climaxing. Liz was about to ask Red to thrust a bit harder, but he instinctively did already; she was thrilled. They were both breathing heavily and concentrating on the intense pleasure. Red loved hearing Lizzie get more vocal; she drew her legs up at his sides so that her knees were almost under his arms. He felt her wet heat tightening on him, and he moved faster and harder. Liz panted and whimpered for several moments, then she tensed up and cried out as she orgasmed. Red kept thrusting, adding to Lizzie’s pleasure and bringing himself closer to the peak of pleasure. He watched Lizzie in her pleasure and he felt her body squeezing him. He moaned as he came, gushing heavily into her, over and over again until there was nothing left. They both moaned breathily as they gently moved together, then they stayed still. 

 Liz was feeling completely satisfied, not to mention lovestruck, as she looked up at Red. He smirked and kissed her; he’d obviously noticed her pleasantly shocked expression. Liz blushed lightly as they looked at each other. 

 “Did you enjoy that, sweetheart?” Red asked as he affectionately studied her face.

 Liz giggled quietly. 

 “Yes.” She said, smiling happily. 

 “Good. I did, too.” He said softly, then he kissed her a few more times. 

 Liz got excited by his low voice, so she moved on him, then she felt a sudden shiver of pleasure go up her spine. Red was amused as Lizzie shuddered lightly all of a sudden. He kissed her on the cheek, then he gently pulled out, causing Lizzie to shudder a little bit again, which was adorable. He lay down beside her and they faced each other. 

 “That was…I don’t even know…” Liz said, then she laughed. 

 Red smirked and chuckled. 

 “It was _extremely_ pleasurable.” Red said, smiling. 

 “It was!” She agreed. 

 “Are you feeling less stressed now, Lizzie?” He asked playfully. 

 “I am, actually!” She said, giggling. 

 “I’m glad. Why don’t we have a nap together?” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said excitedly. 

 Liz turned over and backed up against Red so that he was spooning her. She heard him chuckle quietly in amusement, then he reached down and pulled the blankets up over them. Red put his arm around Lizzie and they both felt comforted, relaxed and happy. It wasn’t long before they drifted off to sleep. 

 (To Be Continued…)

 


	5. Chapter 5

 Red woke up and smiled as he felt Lizzie still curled up in front of him; he felt happy, but he worried she would regret it. He lifted his head so he could see her face a little bit. She looked so peaceful, and adorable. After gazing at her for a few moments, he put his head on the pillow again. Lizzie suddenly stretched her arms and legs out in front of her as she awoke, and he smiled again. Liz felt excited as she jolted fully awake all of a sudden; she felt Red pressed against her from behind and she blushed as she recalled their lovemaking. She felt his arm wrap lovingly around her waist and gently hold her tighter. Liz smiled uncontrollably.

 “Hi, Red…” Liz said softly. 

 “Hello, Lizzie…” Red said quietly. 

 Red kissed into her hair. 

 “How are you feeling?” He asked. 

 “Amazing.” She said, then she briefly giggled. 

 Red was relieved, and he kissed her on the head again. 

 “Good.” He said. 

 “How are you feeling, Red?” She asked. 

 “Amazing.” He said, smiling. 

 “Good. What time is it?” She said. 

 “I don’t know.” He said, making no attempt to check. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Red’s phone rang, so he groaned and reluctantly sat up; his phone was still in his suit jacket, which he’d left on the chair. Liz already missed feeling Red against her, but she was now free to turn around and look at him. She watched him walk naked over to the jacket and grab his phone to answer it. 

 “Yes, what is it?” Red answered. 

 Liz smirked slightly; it was obvious he was annoyed to be called away from her. She checked out his body as he listened. 

 “He does, does he? I see. I guess I’ve been making my point.” Red said smugly. 

 Liz watched expectantly. 

 “…Tell him I’ll show up when I’m ready to. I do things on my own terms.” He said, then he hung up. 

 Red looked at Lizzie as she timidly surveyed his body, and he smiled and returned to her. 

 “My source says Rivers wants to meet with me.” Red said, getting comfy on the bed again. 

 Liz felt worried. 

 “When? Why?” She asked. 

 “Tonight at ten o’ clock, to discuss our mutual interests and problems.” He said. 

 “Are you going to meet him tonight?” She asked. 

 “No. He can wait until morning.” He said. 

 Liz looked forward to having Red with her all night, but she also figured this would really piss off Rivers, making it more dangerous for Red.

 “…Okay.” She said. 

 Red lightly caressed Lizzie’s cheek; he could tell she was concerned. 

 “It’s alright, sweetheart. Trust me. He won’t do anything to me, or you. Remember who you’re dealing with…” Red said, smirking. 

 Liz smiled and nodded; Red was more than capable of looking after himself, as well as her. 

 “Did you find out what time it is?” She asked. 

 “I didn’t pay attention. I think it’s late afternoon or early evening. Let’s have a shower together.” He said. 

 “Oh, okay.” She said, surprised. 

 Red got out of bed and Liz eagerly followed him into the bathroom; he turned the water on and stepped in, so she joined him. They looked at each other and Red smirked. 

 “You forgot your products again…I guess you’ll just have to keep smelling like me…” He said. 

 Liz gazed at him, feeling smitten; she wanted to smell like him. 

 “That’s fine. I like it.” She said. 

 Red smiled, then they began washing; they kept looking at each other’s bodies. It was so new and exciting to be naked with each other, they were thrilled. They’d finished washing and Red had his eyes closed after rinsing his face when he felt Lizzie’s hands gently rest on his chest. He opened his eyes and saw Lizzie smiling lightly; she leaned closer and kissed him, so he put his hands on her shoulders, caressing her smooth, wet skin. Red then touched Lizzie’s soaking wet hair and he kissed her. She put her hands on his cheeks as their kissing became more passionate. 

 Red heard a quiet whimper from Lizzie as they kissed, and he was getting harder. She gently pulled back, and he surveyed her breasts while she looked down at his erection. Liz was thrilled she had this effect on Red. She was already wanting to have him again; she’d had a taste of what he had to offer her, and she wanted more. 

 “Red…can we make love again?” Liz asked. 

 “Certainly.” Red said, smirking a little. 

 Liz smiled.

 “Where would you like to do it? Here or the bedroom…or the kitchen?” Red said. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “Here.” She said softly. 

 “Mm. Okay, sweetheart.” He said suavely. 

 “Can you…do it from behind...?” She asked. 

 Red raised an eyebrow. 

 “I sure can…” He said amusedly. 

 Liz blushed a little and smiled, then she eagerly turned around. Red watched Lizzie put her hands on the wall and stick her butt out for him. He looked at her wet hair, the water droplets on her porcelain skin, her arched back and adorable butt. He didn’t know what he did to deserve this, but he’d happily take it. Red stepped closer to Lizzie and planted some kisses on her shoulder and back. He put his hands on her breasts, caressing and massaging them; she moaned and nudged backwards, trying to feel him where she craved him. Red kissed her wet hair as it was stuck to the back of her neck, then he slid his right hand down her front to between her legs. He gently pressed on her clit and she whimpered. 

 Liz felt her legs get a bit shaky as Red deftly stimulated her clit; she thought it was sweet that he was taking his time with her. She worried about the water bill for a moment, then she remembered that Red was indescribably wealthy, so she dismissed it. She felt his tongue travel from her shoulder up her neck to her ear lobe; she got an excited shiver up her spine and some goosebumps. Red could feel Lizzie moving against his hand, and he felt how firm her clit was. He rubbed more firmly, and she whimpered and squirmed a little. He could tell she was extremely aroused now, so he moved his hand away and guided his tip to her opening. Red rubbed up and down along Lizzie’s sensitive flesh, and she moaned and squirmed again. He gently pressed against her opening and he entered her. 

 “Ohh…Red…” Liz said breathily. 

 Red moaned softly as he slid further inside her, revelling in the sensation of her silky, warm walls hugging his length. He went in all the way, then slowly pulled back, making Lizzie moan; he slowly glided back in all the way and she whimpered. He gently pressed Lizzie closer to the wall, and she turned her face; he leaned forward and kissed her rosy cheek. She smiled and nudged back against him. Liz was pleasantly surprised by the sweet kiss on her cheek; Red was very romantic, and it was lovely. She felt his hands softly cup her breasts, then he subtly quickened his thrusting, finding the perfect rhythm. 

 Liz was completely immersed in pleasure, from the amazingly scented humid air, to Red’s skilled hands massaging her breasts, to the way he felt moving in and out of her. The pleasure was building rapidly, especially when she felt his hand return to her clit. 

 “Oh god…” Liz whimpered. 

 Red thrust faster while gently moving his fingers back and forth over Lizzie’s clit. He felt her getting tighter around him as she got closer to climaxing, and it was beautiful. Liz wanted the perfect pleasure to continue so she would orgasm; out of habit, she almost expected the sex to be over too soon. 

 “I’m so close…please keep going…” Liz said. 

 Red felt bad for Lizzie; Tom obviously hadn’t done things properly. 

 “I’ll go all night if you want me to.” Red said softly. 

 Liz was amused and she would have giggled if she wasn’t so busy concentrating on the pleasure. She realized once again that Red was happy to take as long as she needed. She relaxed and focused on the amazing sensations he was giving her. A few minutes later, she was teetering on the edge of her climax. 

 “Mm…Red…” Liz whimpered urgently. 

 She panted and whimpered as she was on the brink for a couple moments, then she breathily cried out as she reached her orgasm. Red was thrilled as Lizzie got vocal in the throes of her orgasm; he thrust a little harder and she braced herself against the wall. She continued whimpering and clamping down on him as he thrust, then he moaned and started coming. He stayed deep inside Lizzie as he spilled heavily into her. She squirmed and pushed back against him, ecstatic that he was coming in her. When the intense pleasure finally died down, they caught their breath and Red kissed Lizzie’s shoulder again. 

 Liz sighed loudly in satisfaction, then she giggled happily. Red smiled and kissed her on the head; he gently pulled out so that Lizzie could change positions. She turned around and looked flushed and astonished. She slumped back against the wall, smiling weakly. 

 “You’re amazing.” Liz said quietly. 

 Red smirked. 

 “So are you.” Red said. 

 Once Liz regained the ability to move, they rinsed off to tidy themselves, then Red turned the water off. They got out and dried off together. 

 “Let’s put some clothes on and then I’ll make dinner for us.” Red said. 

 “Okay.” Liz said, smiling. 

 She wondered how she managed to snag such a wonderful man; she remembered he was a criminal and her informant. _Oh well_ , she thought. They went into the bedroom and got dressed, despite it now being seven-thirty p.m. Red went into the kitchen and prepared chicken caesar salad for them from scratch. Liz offered to help, but he refused, so she sat and watched him. She smiled lightly and began to fall harder for him. They had a fantastic dinner together, then Liz’s phone rang when they were finished eating; she answered it. 

 “Ressler?” She said. 

 “Liz. Aram tracked the cell phone of one of the men in the drug syndicate. The signal indicates he’s near you…and Reddington.” Ressler said. 

 “What?! Why? How?” She said. 

 Red watched raptly. 

 “He’s been following you for at least a few hours, getting closer and closer. We don’t know if he’s after Reddington, or you, or both. He somehow could’ve found out we’re looking into the syndicate, but it’s unlikely. He might have prior business with Red.” Ressler said. 

 Liz looked at Red. 

 “What’s the guy’s name?” She asked Ressler. 

 “Anthony Travis.” Ressler said. 

 “Okay. Red and I will stay safe. I’ll keep you updated. Thanks.” Liz said, then she hung up. 

 Red gave her an expectant look. 

 “A guy called Anthony Travis, from the drug syndicate the task force is investigating…he’s near the safe house. He’s been following me, or us, for a few hours at least.” Liz said. 

 Red was peeved. 

 “Is the drug syndicate connected to Rivers?” She asked. 

 Red sighed. 

 “Yes. The syndicate is one of Rivers’ side businesses…sort of. He got them started and he oversees things from time to time, but they have their own boss.” He said. 

 “Why didn’t you say earlier?” She asked. 

 “They’re separate entities, Lizzie. The drug syndicate was on the blacklist for the task force; Rivers was a minor issue I was going to deal with myself.” He said. 

 “Well, now they’re both following us, apparently.” She said. 

 “Rivers probably put them up to it; the syndicate won’t know about the task force investigation, so they’d have no reason to follow us. Rivers has been trying to get to me through you. I have to deal with him now.” He said. 

 “Let the task force help. The cases are connected anyway.” She said. 

 “No. I have to go to the meeting tonight. You stay here and keep safe. The house is very secure, and you’ve got your gun.” He said. 

 “I’ll just come with you, to the meeting.” She said. 

 “No, Lizzie. It’s safer and easier for you to stay here. I can call Dembe again.” He said. 

 Liz got up and grabbed her gun from her handbag. 

 “No. I’ll get the bastard if he comes in.” She said. 

 Red smirked slightly. 

 “Alright. Stay safe, sweetheart. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Red said, getting up. 

 He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then he went and got his gun and jacket—and another gun. Red studied Lizzie for a few moments, and she nodded at him, so he left. When Red was gone, Liz felt nervous, but she was determined to look after herself. She double-checked her gun was loaded and she took the safety off. She went and sat silently in the living room, listening and staying vigilant. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red walked into a vacant office building, and a man drew his gun when he noticed him. Red had drawn quicker, however, and had his gun pointed at the man’s head already. 

 “Rivers is expecting me.” Red said. 

 The man nodded and lowered his gun. 

 “Back room.” The man said. 

 Red kept his gun trained on him for as long as possible as he walked past him, but the man just sat down again. Red walked to the back room in the office building and saw Rivers sitting on a desk. He was dressed smartly in a suit and had a gold Rolex watch on his wrist. His brown hair was slicked back and to the side. Rivers’ blue eyes stared coldly at Red. 

 “…I thought my man said you weren’t coming to the meeting…that you would come in on your own terms…” Rivers said in his prim English accent. 

 “These _are_ my own terms. One of your drug runners was getting annoyingly close, and I decided to deal with this once and for all.” Red said. 

 Rivers looked unamused. 

 “You know, Rivers, I never had a problem with you, but you’re really becoming a pain in the ass lately. I suggest you stop treading on my toes, or I’ll have to put you down like a wayward, rabid dog.” Red said. 

 Rivers stared at him.

 “What is this really about, Keith?” Red asked.

 “You know what it’s about…Reddington. You’re an arrogant prick who keeps everything for himself. There’s enough crime and profit to go around, yet you insist on being the ‘alpha male’.” Rivers said bitterly. 

 Red chuckled amusedly. 

 “And?” Red asked. 

 “And I’m tired of it. I’m trying to get you to share the territory. I wanted to get your attention by abducting Elizabeth Keen. That would hit you where it hurts…” Rivers said. 

 “Well, that didn’t quite work out for you…” Red said. 

 “No. But at least I have your attention now. We’ll keep going after Elizabeth until you spread the wealth a little. We’ll eventually get her, and I’ll have her brought to me. I might see what all the fuss is about…she must be quite something, for you to dote on her the way you do.” Rivers said. 

 Red felt the anger rising. 

 “What makes you think you’ll be around long enough to keep going after her?” Red asked. 

 “I might not be…but others will continue following my orders.” Rivers said, eyeing Red’s gun. 

 “The drug runners?” Red asked skeptically.

 “…And others.” Rivers said. 

 Red thought about Lizzie and he wondered if a negotiation was possible. 

 “What ‘territory’ do you want?” Red asked. 

 “Your little human smuggling enterprise.” Rivers said. 

 “No. You won’t just shuffle associates and harmless immigrants around; you’ll turn it into sex trafficking.” Red said disgustedly. 

 “Well, that _is_ the most profitable thing to do with it.” Rivers said. 

 “You’re not getting it. Anything else?” Red said. 

 “No.” Rivers said. 

 “Oh. That was a short meeting.” Red said, smirking. 

 “Give it to me, or Elizabeth Keen remains a target.” Rivers said. 

 Red considered it, for Lizzie’s sake, but he couldn’t stand handing over some of his business for Rivers to taint. He’d find another way to deal with Rivers and the people following Lizzie. 

 “I’m not giving it to you.” Red said. 

 Rivers nodded. 

 “Fine. I hope you’re prepared to lose Elizabeth to me, then.” Rivers said. 

 Rivers saw Red’s eyes flicker with hatred; he’d been right about Elizabeth Keen being his weakness. Rivers smirked. 

 Red thought about killing Rivers right then and there, but he decided it wasn’t necessary—yet. He turned and walked out of the office building. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Liz jumped when she heard something, but then she realized it was Red coming into the safe house. She sighed with relief and watched him come into the living room. 

 “No intruders, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “No. What happened?” Liz said. 

 Red sat down next to her on the sofa.

 “Rivers has been trying to abduct you to get my attention. He wants some of my business, and he’s going to keep coming after you unless I give it to him.” He said. 

 Liz studied him and waited. 

 “I’m not giving it to him; he wants to turn it into sex trafficking.” He said. 

 Liz listened and wondered how they would get people to stop following her. 

 Red sighed. 

 “I’m putting him and all of his people on the blacklist…for _you_ , Lizzie. Using the FBI’s resources will help to get it over with quicker.” He said. 

 Liz gave him a small smile. 

 “Thank you, Red. I know you want to do it yourself…” She said. 

 “It’s okay, sweetheart. There could be countless people involved; it would take me forever to go after them all. I’d rather spend my time with you…” He said. 

 Liz smiled more broadly and kissed Red. 

 “We’ll go to the black site tomorrow and I’ll give them everything I know about Rivers.” Red said. 

 “Okay.” Liz said. 

 They both put their guns on the coffee table and then Liz snuggled up to Red. He kissed her on the head and they cuddled while watching TV together for a while. They stopped worrying about the lone drug runner, as they could easily handle him. They were also both relieved that they would get the task force’s help starting tomorrow. 

 (To Be Continued…)


	6. Chapter 6

 Liz was gazing at Red at the black site the next morning; he’d just debriefed her colleagues about Rivers having people follow her until he gets his human smuggling business. The task force was concerned about Liz because if Red didn’t hand over the human smuggling enterprise, Rivers would continue following her and likely abduct her. Liz was a little concerned, but she felt safe with Red; she was also mainly distracted and daydreaming about their lovemaking. She continued watching him.

 “…I was planning on handling this myself, but Lizzie wanted to involve you. I now think it would be beneficial for her to have your help.” Red said. 

 He looked at Lizzie and noticed she was smiling slightly and staring at him; there might as well have been cartoon hearts floating around her head. He hadn’t expected her to fall so hard for him, so quickly. It was adorable. Red smiled at Liz and she was brought out of her reverie; she blushed a light pink and stopped staring at him. 

 “Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Reddington. I agree; it’s better to have all of us looking out for Elizabeth...And tracking down Rivers and his people.” Cooper said. 

 “If you won’t make the deal, then Rivers’ cronies are still going to follow her even if something happens to him. How do we stop it?” Ressler asked Red. 

 “That’s where the FBI assistance comes in handy, Donald. We need to take them all down at once.” Red said. 

 “That’s a very tall order. Do we know how many people are involved?” Ressler asked. 

 “Not yet, but I’m sure we’ll be able to find out soon enough.” Red said. 

 “Hmm. In the meantime, Liz, you need to stay at a safe house.” Cooper said. 

 “She _is_ staying at a safe house. With me.” Red said. 

 “Yes, Sir. I’m safe there with Red. Besides, I won’t just go into hiding while all of you handle the case. I’ll continue working on it.” Liz insisted. 

 Liz was hoping she’d be allowed to stay with Red. 

 “…Fine. Reddington, you’ve proven to us time and again that Liz is a priority for you, and you’ve protected her so far. But we’ll add some agents on surveillance in the general vicinity of the safe houses you use. They’ll follow you from a good distance. They can watch the people stalking you and hopefully ID them.” Cooper said. 

 Liz smiled and felt relieved. 

 “Thank you, Sir.” She said. 

 She glanced at Red, who gave her a brief cheerful smile as he often did. 

 “So, what can we do to find the rest of Rivers’ network?” Cooper asked. 

 “Well, one of his cronies owes me…let’s just say I gave him a day off and he went and enjoyed time with his children. I’ll have my people track him down; he’s the weak link. We can get more information from him.” Red said. 

 Liz realized Red was referring to the man whose life he’d spared; she noticed he omitted that part to Cooper. 

 “Alright. Do it.” Cooper said. 

 Red didn’t waste any time before calling an associate. The agents couldn’t help paying attention to Red’s conversation, as he was nearly shouting. 

 “…Bernard, I told you to get a hearing aid for god’s sake. Or at least put the phone to your right ear.” Red said loudly. 

 Liz raised her eyebrows and smirked; she tried not to chuckle. 

 “Yes, I know you’re left-handed. But it would save us a lot of trouble…ah, that’s better. Thank you.” Red said. 

 Liz quietly giggled, then Red instructed Bernard on finding the weak link in Rivers’ network. Samar approached Liz and leaned closer. 

 “Are you sure you’re safe with Reddington? You could stay elsewhere.” Samar said quietly. 

 “I’m sure.” Liz said, but then she began smiling uncontrollably. 

 “Oh. It’s like _that_ , is it?” Samar joked. 

 Liz shyly nodded and looked away. 

 “Wow. Really?” Samar said; she hadn't actually expected Liz to confirm it.

 Liz smiled and giggled softly. Samar could tell Liz was enamoured with Red, and she thought they’d be cute together, despite her being an FBI agent and him being a notorious criminal. 

 “Not to be nosy or anything, but…is it a crush, or have you two… _you know_?” Samar said very quietly. 

 Liz blushed.

 “That _is_ being nosy…but yes we have…’you know’.” Liz said. 

 “Oh?” Samar said, intrigued. 

 Liz nodded and mouthed “oh my god” to Samar, who raised her eyebrows. They looked at Red again, who now had a look of hopelessness on his face. 

 “Bernard! Why did you switch back to your left ear? Seriously…” Red said. 

 Red finally managed to relay the important information to Bernard, then they hung up. The agents were all looking at Red with expectant expressions. 

 “It’s all set.” Red said plainly. 

 Liz smirked. 

 “So, your people are going to find the weak link and get back to you?” Liz asked for clarification purposes. 

 “Yes, Lizzie.” Red said. 

 She nodded. 

 “Okay, we’ll leave it here for now. Reddington, I expect you to notify Liz the second you hear from a source, and then she will notify us.” Cooper said. 

 “I will.” Red said. 

 The debriefing broke up and Liz, Red and Samar got into the elevator. Samar glanced at the two, and she gave them a sly smile. 

 “So…back to the safe house now?” Samar asked. 

 “Yep.” Liz said. 

 Red nodded. 

 When the elevator opened, they stepped out. 

 “Well, have fun!” Samar said as she walked away from them. 

 Liz glanced embarrassedly at Red, but he just smiled. They got into Liz’s car and she drove them back to the safe house. They went in and got settled, then they had some lunch together. Red made coffee and he brought the mugs into the living room; he put them on the coffee table and joined Lizzie on the sofa. 

 “Thanks, Red.” Liz said. 

 “You’re welcome.” Red said. 

 They sipped their coffee and looked at each other. 

 “So, Bernard is on the case, but in the meantime, we should probably move to a different safe house tonight…certainly tomorrow. This one is secure, and we have our weapons, but Rivers and his people know where it is, so they could become pests.” Red said. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “Okay. Do you ever run out of safe houses?” She asked curiously. 

 “No.” He said plainly. 

 “Okay.” She said.

 Liz smiled into her coffee cup as she noticed Red wasn’t a fan of elaboration, except for when he was telling one of his stories. They quietly finished their coffee, and kept looking at each other. 

 “Ginger?” Red said. 

 “What?” Liz asked. 

 Red pulled a little bag of crystallized ginger out of his suit jacket pocket. 

 “Oh. I don’t like ginger that much.” She said. 

 He held the bag out, tempting her. 

 “Just try it.” He said. 

 Liz hesitated. 

 “It’s great for digestion and cleansing the palate; the taste is lovely and sweet…It’s also good for freshening up for kisses.” Red said. 

 The kissing part successfully tempted her; she took a piece and put it in her mouth. It was very spiced and aromatic. Liz still wasn’t sure she liked it, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Red chuckled as he watched Lizzie’s surprised reaction to it, then he ate one. 

 “It’s a bit strong.” Liz said. 

 Red smiled and nodded as he put the bag on the coffee table. When they’d finished eating the crystallized ginger, Red sat closer to Lizzie; she began blushing lightly. He leaned closer and he studied Lizzie; she looked a little shy, so he just kissed her on the cheek. She then subtly turned towards him on the sofa and looked into his eyes. Her lips parted slightly. Red leaned closer again, gently kissing her temple. He was very experienced in the art of seduction, so he could tell he was enticing Lizzie with his sweet, tantalizing approach.

 When he pulled back, their faces were still close, so Liz brought her lips close to Red’s. Their lips brushed, then she delicately kissed him. After a moment, he deepened the kiss and it became heated. Liz was going to love ginger from now on; it would forever be associated with Red’s kisses. 

 Red was enthralled by the tiny “mm” sound Lizzie made as they kissed passionately. He brought his hand up and gently caressed her warm cheek. She put her hand on his collar, but as they continued kissing, it wandered, lightly rubbing his chest. They took a break to catch their breath, and Liz toyed with Red’s jacket collar. 

 “Red…do you want to go into the bedroom?” Liz asked. 

 “Yes, sweetheart…let’s go.” Red said. 

 He stood up and offered his hand to Lizzie; she took it and they held hands as they went into the bedroom. They stood near the foot of the bed and studied each other. Liz watched Red take his suit jacket off and gently place it on the ottoman at the foot of the bed. His mesmerizing green eyes were fixed on her blue ones. She took her top off and put it with his jacket, then she stepped closer, putting her hands on his chest. Liz timidly undid a few of Red’s buttons as he put his warm hands on her waist. He captured her mouth in a passionate kiss for a several moments, and he was amused to feel Lizzie’s hands stay still; she was completely distracted by his kiss. 

 They stopped kissing, so Liz got back to her task of undoing Red’s shirt. She untucked it and finished undoing the buttons, then he took it off. He quickly took his undershirt off and undid his belt and trousers. Liz took her jeans and socks off, then her bra, and when Red was just in his boxer briefs, she took her panties off. She liked the way he was adoringly surveying her nude body. He took his boxer briefs off and Lizzie blushed again as she lustfully looked at his erection. He thought it was adorable that she was still a little shy about seeing him naked. They were still getting used to seeing each other like that, and being intimate with each other. 

 Red delicately touched Lizzie’s cheek, then her neck and collarbone; he tantalizingly stopped there and looked into her eyes. 

 “What do you want to do, Lizzie?” Red asked quietly. 

 “Um…maybe I could be on top this time.” Liz said.

 She felt shy about it, but she wanted to try another position with him. She was sure that whatever their position, it would be amazing. 

 “Mm…I look forward to it.” He said, looking her up and down. 

 Liz smiled and gave him a coy look, then she watched him get on the bed. Red lay back and waited for Lizzie; she joined him on the bed and knelt by his side. He watched adoringly as she began exploring him. She put her hand on his chest and lightly moved over his chest hair and his nipples, then down his abdomen. Liz brushed the back of her hand over Red’s erection, revelling in his warm, silky smooth skin. She then gently grasped and stroked him; he sighed with pleasure and she was becoming more wet. Liz pleasured Red with her hand until she saw some fluid forming at his tip. She became even more excited and wet, and she couldn’t wait any longer. 

 Liz straddled him and leaned forward, with her hands on either side of Red’s head. They looked into each other’s eyes, and she couldn’t resist touching her clit to his wet tip. Liz gently rubbed her clit on him and felt the slippery fluid. Red was astonished as Lizzie suddenly closed her eyes, exhaled sharply and stopped moving. She whimpered very quietly.

 “Are you alright?” Red asked, looking up at her. 

 Liz blushed a deep shade of pink. 

 “…Yes…I just orgasmed.” She said quietly. 

 Red raised his eyebrows and smiled ever so slightly; in his mind, he was thoroughly amused and pleased but outwardly, he tried not to show it. He didn’t want Lizzie to be any more embarrassed than she already appeared to be. He kissed her for a few moments. Liz lifted herself and lined up so that he was against her opening, and she sighed quietly with pleasure. She gently lowered onto him and they both moaned softly as he entered her. She pushed down, taking him deeper, and gradually all the way in. 

 “Mmm…Red…it feels so good.” Liz said breathily. 

 “Yes, Lizzie.” Red said quietly. 

 His hands slid up her sides, then he lightly rubbed her back as they rocked together. He thrust up into Lizzie a little harder and she whimpered; her hair tickled his face as she moved faster, so then she brought herself upright. Liz gently ran her nails down Red’s chest and abdomen as she began riding him. She moaned softly and tilted her head back. Lizzie was a sight to behold; Red was thrilled as he watched the concentration and pleasure on her face, and the way she arched her back, trying out different angles. He was even more thrilled when she found the perfect angle and whimpered intensely as she moved faster.

 They began breathing heavier as their pace became quicker and rougher. Red was still raptly watching Lizzie, surveying how her face and body were responding to him, and he lustfully looked at her breasts, then down to where their bodies were connected. 

 “Oh…Red…” Liz whimpered.

 Liz was getting very close to climaxing; she was riding Red hard, and giving them both long, quick strokes with her movements. Red looked down and he could see his erection disappearing into Lizzie as she moved up and down on him. He was a little surprised to realize he wouldn’t be able to hold off for much longer.

 “I’m going to come soon, baby.” Red said intensely. 

 “Mm…yes…” Liz panted. 

 She moved faster and she also felt Red grasp her hips to pull her down onto him with each thrust. Liz was enraptured by the continuous lubricated friction, and when Red pulled her roughly onto him, he was stimulating her clit as they bumped into each other. She took a quick, shaky breath, then she reached her orgasm. She cried out and she was thrilled to feel Red stay deep inside her as he came; he throbbed and spurted into Lizzie with the intense pleasure. Liz rode the waves of pleasure for what felt like a long time, with her body repeatedly clamping down on Red. 

 They both sighed loudly in satisfaction as their orgasms finished. Red caressed Lizzie’s hips and thighs, and she was so sensitive, she shuddered with pleasure as he barely moved inside her. He smiled lightly. 

 “You’re so beautiful.” Red said softly. 

 Liz smiled and hummed her pleasure as she wriggled on Red, enjoying the warm, thickly lubricated sensation. She was immensely gratified that he came inside her again. Liz gently leaned forward and kissed him. 

 “Red…you’re amazing…” She said quietly. 

 She giggled slightly at his smug expression. 

 “Thank you, sweetheart. So are you.” Red said, feeling full of himself. 

 Liz kissed him again, a few times, then she lifted up; she thoroughly enjoyed he sensation of him slipping out of her. She giggled joyfully as she slumped down beside Red. They got onto their sides so they could see each other. Red was pleased with the way Lizzie was gazing admiringly at him. He took hold of her hand and kissed it. 

 Liz was feeling completely swept off her feet by Red; it was no wonder he had so many women fawning over him all the time. She blushed as she thought about how extremely sexy he was and how phenomenal he was in bed. She felt lucky to be the object of his affection—and possibly obsession. Liz was brought out of her reverie by Red rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. 

 “What are you thinking about, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “You.” Liz said, smiling. 

 Red waited expectantly, so she elaborated. 

 “I still can’t believe we’re doing this...but I’m glad we are.” She said. 

 Red smiled charmingly at her. 

 “I’m glad we’re doing this too.” He said, smirking. 

 Liz smiled and giggled, then she kissed him. They gazed into each other’s eyes for several moments. 

 “Red?” Liz said, then she hesitated.

 “What is it, sweetheart?” Red asked. 

 “…Could you cuddle with me…and hold me while I have a nap?” She asked. 

 “Of course. Come here.” He said, putting his arm out. 

 Liz moved closer to Red and they put their arms around each other. She put her leg over his, and she nuzzled into his neck to breathe in his lovely cologne and kiss him. She then decided she wanted to be spooned. Red was amused as Lizzie squirmed and turned around, then backed up into him. He smiled as he put his arm around her and pressed against her from behind. She sighed contentedly and they stayed quiet until they dozed off for a nap. 

 (To Be Continued…)


	7. Chapter 7

 Liz was startled out of her nap when Red’s phone rang. She felt him turn away from her and grab his phone from the nightstand. She turned over to watch him.

 “Yes?” Red said. 

 Liz was startled again when Red talked very loudly; it was Bernard. 

 “That was fast! Great work…I said great work! Thank you.” Red said, then he hung up. 

 Red put his phone down on the nightstand and looked at Lizzie. 

 “Sorry about that. Bernard has found the weak link in Rivers’ network. I have to go meet with the man to get him to return my favor.” He said. 

 Lizzie looked a little concerned, so he put his hand on hers. 

 “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. He will cooperate, I’m sure.” He said. 

 “Okay. You’re going now?” She said. 

 “Yes. I’ll be back shortly, and then we can decide whether we want to change safe houses tonight or tomorrow. You should get dressed and keep your phone and your gun handy, just in case.” He said. 

 “I have to notify Cooper that you’ve heard back.” She said. 

 “That’s fine. But I’m going to meet with the weak link myself.” He said, getting out of bed. 

 Liz got out of bed and they both put their clothes back on, then Red took his gun and put it in its holster under his jacket. He walked over to Lizzie, who was holding her phone, and he kissed her softly on the lips. 

 “I’ll be right back.” Red said quietly. 

 “Okay.” Liz said. 

 She watched him for a moment as he went to the front door, then she called Cooper and updated him. At first, Cooper was frustrated by Red going off on his own to the meeting, but then he realized that Red had leverage with the man, whereas the FBI didn’t. It would be better this way. 

 “Alright. Let me know what the intel is, as soon as you can.” Cooper said. 

 “Yes, Sir. Thanks. Bye.” Liz said, then they hung up. 

 Liz went into the living room and turned the TV on as a distraction; she felt a bit nervous and lonely. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red knocked on the door of a suburban house and looked around as he waited. The door opened and the man was carrying his little daughter, who was holding a toy version of a tablet. 

 “Oh would you look at that. I had no idea they made those. She gets to use a tablet like grownups.” Red said, marvelling at the toy and the child. 

 The man went pale and stared at Red. 

 “It’s alright, I’m not going to do anything. I’m here to call in a favor.” Red said. 

 “Who is it, Dale?” A woman asked from further inside the house. 

 “…Just a guy from work.” Dale called to her. 

 “Oh, you should invite him in for coffee.” She said from the kitchen. 

 Dale really didn’t want to. 

 Red put his hand up to dismiss the idea. 

 “I won’t impose. Just tell me who the others are. Or at least where they are.” Red said. 

 The daughter’s tablet made a sound like some kind of toy spaceship, and it lit up; she giggled, and Red smiled. Dale’s wife came to the door and looked at Red. 

 “Please, come inside. I’ve just made a pot of coffee.” She said. 

 Red smiled charmingly and Dale reluctantly stepped aside, then they all went further into the house. 

 “I don’t know if Dale’s mentioned me at work, but I’m Elsa.” The wife said.

 “Pleased to meet you, Elsa. I’m Raymond. Dale talks about you all the time.” Red said suavely.

 They sat at the dining table and Dale’s daughter brought the tablet over to Red and showed it to him. 

 “Wow, that’s wonderful, isn’t it sweetheart? What does this do...” Red said, then he pressed something on the toy screen. 

 It beeped and booped and lit up again, which delighted the girl. She laughed and took off with the tablet; she ran into the living room and showed her brother. Red brought his attention back to Dale and his wife. 

 “So have you worked together for long?” Elsa said. 

 “No, not very long.” Red said. 

 Dale wanted to hurry this business along; he had to be discreet about giving Red the names of people, so he came up with a plan to make it look like they were talking about co-workers. 

 “You know that guy, James Porter? Works in the back room with Glenn Asher, Bill Ealing and Emil Wilson? He’s due for some vacation time, so he’s going to throw a party with the back room guys.” Dale said. 

 Red was impressed with the man’s ingenuity; he nodded and smiled, and he took his phone out. He made notes in his phone, pretending to look for their numbers. 

 “I don’t think I have his new number…oh yes, there it is.” Red said, typing the names in. 

 “The others want in on the party, though. You know that really tall, big fat guy with black curly hair? I can’t remember his name but he also works part-time down at the docks…then there’s Talbot Cordan.” Dale said. 

 Red laughed heartily.

 “Yes of course…Talbot Cordan. Good old Tal. Where does he live again?” Red said. 

 “The ugly yellow house at the dead end on Winter Road.” Dale said. 

 Red nodded and surreptitiously typed it into a note on his phone as he held it on his lap. He looked up at Dale, who was trying to indicate that he was finished the list. Red got the hint. 

 “Well, it’s been fun to catch up, but I really must be going. Thanks for having me in, and for the fantastic coffee, Elsa.” Red said. 

 Red bid them a good evening and he left. 

 “He’s so nice. You should have him over more often.” Elsa said. 

 Dale nodded weakly. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz heard the door of the safe house open, so she turned the TV off and listened. 

 “It’s just me, Lizzie.” Red called to her as he came up the stairs. 

 Red saw Lizzie and went into the living room. 

 “Did anything happen?” Red asked. 

 He sat down in the armchair.

 “No, it was quiet. I just watched TV. How about you?” Liz said. 

 “It was excellent! I got the names of all the remaining network members—well, all but one. He gave me a description of some fat man who works at the docks.” He said. 

 Liz gaped at him. 

 “…How did you get all that out of him?” She asked suspiciously. 

 “His wife invited me in and we all chatted over coffee.” He said. 

 Liz blinked at him in disbelief. 

 “It’s true. Everything was civil; the kids and wife were there, and he was cooperative. It went better than expected.” Red said. 

 “Okay. Good.” Liz said. 

 Red took his suit jacket off, and his gun, then he put them away in the bedroom. He put his keys and phone down on the nightstand, then he returned to Lizzie and sat on the sofa with her. 

 “How about some supper?” Red asked. 

 “Sure. I’ll help. What are we making?” Liz said. 

 “We’re making vegetable chow mein.” He said. 

 “Oh, awesome.” She said. 

 Red smiled and then they went and washed their hands. They got the veggies, noodles and sauce ingredients out and they worked on the preparation together. Liz glanced at Red every now and then, and she thought about how nice it was to spend time with him like this. She never expected to become this close with him. It was cute to see him in a domestic setting. She also thought about how fun it was to be friends with benefits, but she wondered if there could be something more than that. Liz had no idea how a serious relationship with Red would work, since they were in two separate worlds, but she thought it would be nice. 

 When supper was ready, they sat and enjoyed it; it was very good, and they’d had a nice time making it together. Afterwards, they both did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. 

 “Red, can we stay here tonight and go to a new safe house tomorrow?” Liz asked. 

 “Yes, sweetheart, we can do that.” Red said, handing her a plate to dry. 

 “Good.” Liz said, smiling; she liked it here. 

 Red glanced at Lizzie and noticed she was smiling; he loved seeing her happy. They finished the dishes, then they went into the living room. Red closed the curtains and turned the lights on while Lizzie put the TV on. She went to a few different news channels. He sat next to her on the sofa. 

 “There won’t be anything about the man in the alley.” Red said gently yet confidently. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “Yeah, it looks like it’s been covered up. You were right.” She said. 

 They looked at each other. 

 “That’s kind of scary, though, don’t you think? Something like that gets swept under the rug because a crime boss doesn’t want to be associated with the dead man?” She said. 

 Red considered it for a few moments. 

 “I suppose…but I look at it as an advantage. We won’t be associated with the dead man, either, and I stay free. Not to mention it tells us that some law enforcement officers can be bought, if necessary. That could come in handy one day.” Red said. 

 “Hm. I just kind of feel bad. What if he had a family? They’ll never find out what happened.” Liz responded. 

 “He didn’t. And besides, Lizzie, it was self-defense. I was protecting myself, and you, from a life-threatening attack.” He said. 

 Liz wondered if there hadn’t been another way to subdue the assailant, aside from slitting his throat. She put it out of her mind and nodded; she knew he wasn’t averse to taking lives if he deemed it necessary. She would just have to deal with that. Plus, at least she and Red wouldn’t get into trouble, and he could stay free. 

 “…You said you got names? You have to send those to Cooper.” Liz said. 

 “I will. Perhaps in the morning.” Red said. 

 Liz got worried. 

 “No, you have to do it now; I told him we’d do it asap.” She said. 

 Red gave her an unamused look and he went into the bedroom to grab his phone. He texted the list to Cooper, but also to Dembe. He wanted to be able to take some of the people out permanently, if he got to them before the task force did. Red walked back into the living room and sat down beside Lizzie. 

 “There. I’ve texted the names to Harold.” Red said. 

 Liz smiled and relaxed. 

 “Okay, good.” She said. 

 She moved a bit closer to him and looked at him. Red studied Lizzie’s face and he was amused because she began smiling a lot.

 “What are you smiling about, sweetheart?” Red asked. 

 “I’m just enjoying spending time with you. I like you.” Liz said. 

 “I like you too, Lizzie.” He said, smiling. 

 “I think…if we’d met randomly, we might have been friends or…lovers…” She said. 

 “Hm. Possibly…or you would’ve dismissed me as some dirty old man.” He said, easing the seriousness of the conversation.

 “No…I wouldn’t have.” She said. 

 They looked at each other for a few moments, then Red paid attention to the TV, so Liz also went back to watching it. She felt shy again, and she wondered if it would be too presumptuous to rest her cheek on his shoulder. Liz occupied herself with rearranging the fuzzy throw blanket for several moments, then she was surprised to feel Red put his arm around her. He gently pulled her closer to him, so she rested against him. She tried to keep her smiling under control, but there was a little smirk on her face that she couldn’t get rid of. 

 “What are we watching? It’s awful.” Red said comically. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “I dunno. I thought you were watching it, so I just left it on.” She said. 

 “Oh, no. Change it.” He said. 

 Liz smirked and flipped channels for a while. She sighed. 

 “There’s nothing on.” Liz said. 

 “No, clearly not.” Red said. 

 Liz turned the TV off and they went quiet. 

 “I remember one time, I was in a mountain village in a remote area of China…the elderly gentleman turned the small TV on and there was literally nothing on any channel. He started pointing out shapes in the static, and he told me stories about what the shapes were doing, just to keep us occupied.” Red said. 

 Liz smiled lightly as she listened to him, then she studied his nostalgic expression. His mind seemed to be somewhere off in the distance for a moment, then he brought his attention back to her. 

 “Is that what we should do?” She asked, smirking. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “No, I was just reminded of it. How about we have a drop of scotch.” He said. 

 “Sounds good.” She said. 

 Red got up and went into the kitchen. He poured two small glasses of scotch, then he returned and handed one to Lizzie.

 “Thanks.” She said. 

 “You’re welcome.” He said. 

 They each took a sip and looked at each other. They both turned so that they were facing each other. Liz put her arm on the back of the sofa and rested her cheek on her hand. Red noticed Lizzie was gazing at him; she had a habit of doing that since he’d reintroduced her to good sex. He smirked slightly at her. 

 “…Earlier, I saw a child’s toy that was made to look like a tablet. It was hilarious. Don’t they get a real one by the time they’re five or something?” Red said. 

 Liz chuckled.

 “Yeah, pretty much.” She said. 

 “Fascinating. I remember when kids played with sticks.” He said. 

 Liz cracked up laughing. 

 “I do, too. You weren’t the only one.” She said, grinning. 

 “Oh good. I think that probably helped us develop a good imagination.” He said. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “Probably.” She said. 

 Liz gazed fondly at Red, and she once again had the feeling that there was a connection between them other than the task force work. If they’d met in a cafe or something, she would have enjoyed spending time with him. She probably would have developed a big crush on him, too; and then he probably would have easily gotten her into bed. They were silent for a few minutes, and Liz kept looking at Red, who was absentmindedly running his finger around the rim of his glass. 

 “Would you like some ice? I never asked.” Red said. 

 “No, thanks…” Liz said softly. 

 They took some sips and eventually finished their drinks, then Red took the glasses into the kitchen and rinsed them out. He turned around and was very surprised to see that Lizzie had followed him. 

 “Oh. Can I get you anything, sweetheart?” Red said. 

 Lizzie gave him a coy look.

 “No thanks…I’m good.” Liz said. 

 Liz felt nervous; she didn’t want to be presumptuous, but she’d feel a bit silly asking him to stay in his bed tonight. She wondered if she should ask him, or hint at it, or just wait for him to bring it up. 

 “Well…I suppose I should get ready for bed.” Red said. 

 Liz decided she had to seize this opportunity. 

 “Um, Red…” She began. 

 “Yes, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 Lizzie started blushing lightly, and he wondered why. 

 “Can I…sleep in your room tonight? In your bed…with you, I mean…” She said awkwardly. 

 “Yes, of course, if that’s what you want.” He said. 

 “Yeah. I’d like that…” She said. 

 “Alright. Let’s get ready and then you can come to bed with me.” He said. 

 Red smiled, then he went down the hall. Liz felt like jumping around and squealing; she’d napped in bed with him, but last night, she’d shyly chosen to sleep on the sofa under the throw blanket as usual. Now, she excitedly went through her bag and got a clean nightie out. It was a very soft, stretchy, clingy material with lace trim; it was really short, too, and a deep shade of red. Red was getting changed in the master bedroom, so Liz went into the bathroom to get changed. She decided to not wear anything under the nightie. She brushed her teeth and went to the bathroom, then she washed her hands. 

 Red opened the bedroom door and met Lizzie in the hallway; he was stunned by her beauty. They both stood still and he appreciatively surveyed her in the short, form-fitting nightie. 

 “Wow.” Red said. 

 Liz was checking him out in return; he was just wearing his boxer briefs and nothing else. 

 “Thanks, Red. Likewise.” She said, obviously surveying his body. 

 Liz left him with that thought—and an astonished expression—as she took her clothes back to her bag in the living room. After watching Lizzie’s adorable, scantily clad butt as she walked away, Red went into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, went to the bathroom and washed his hands, then he came out. Red walked into the master bedroom and he saw Lizzie standing by the bed. 

 “Please, make yourself at home, sweetheart.” Red said earnestly. 

 “I just didn’t know which side you wanted. Do you want to do it like when we napped?” Liz said. 

 Liz then embarrassedly realized she’d used the phrase “do it”. 

 “If you like being on that side, then yes. It really doesn’t matter to me. I can sleep wherever.” He said. 

 “Okay.” She said, then she got into bed. 

 Red suddenly caught a glimpse of between Lizzie’s legs, and she wasn’t wearing any panties. His body immediately started to react. He walked over to his side of the bed and got in. They got under the blankets and lay on their backs, then Lizzie sighed. 

 “I dunno if I can sleep yet.” Liz said quietly. 

 “Is anything the matter?” Red asked. 

 “…Not really.” She said vaguely. 

 “We’re safe here, Lizzie. Then we’ll go somewhere else tomorrow.” He said, trying to reassure her. 

 “I know.” She said. 

 Liz sighed longingly. 

 Red reached over and turned the lamp off. 

 “There. The dark will help you relax, sweetheart.” He said softly. 

 Liz was too excited to relax; she enjoyed listening to his voice, and she thought about how he was in bed with her, in his underwear. She wanted to make love again but she wasn’t sure if Red wanted to, or if he was too tired. He wasn’t picking up on her extremely subtle hints, so if she wanted him to notice, she’d have to be much bolder. 

 Red was laying there, feeling aroused and distracted by having Lizzie in his bed, especially in the little nightie. He wondered if she meant for him to notice she wasn’t wearing any panties. She’d hinted that she wasn’t ready to sleep yet, so perhaps she was trying to give him a signal. However, he didn’t want to pressure her. 

 Liz was trying to pluck up the courage to make a move on Red when he turned the lamp back on. She squinted for a moment and looked at him curiously. 

 “Lizzie…would you like to cuddle?” Red asked. 

 Liz was surprised. 

 “Oh, um. Yes.” She said. 

 Red moved closer to her and put his arm around her waist; he kissed her on the head, then he kissed her cheek. Liz felt his warm, bare chest against her arm, and he was radiating his lovely scented products as usual. She was about to ask him if he wanted to do more than cuddle when he surprised her again. 

 “Would you like me to touch you…between your legs?” Red asked quietly, next to her ear. 

 Liz blushed. 

 “Yes.” She said breathily. 

 She felt Red’s hand travel downward to the lace trim of her nightie, then he lifted the material up to her hips. She opened her legs for him, so he lightly put the pads of his fingers on her delicate flesh. Red watched Lizzie’s face as he gently pressed on her clit; she closed her eyes for a moment, and a cute subtle whimper escaped her lips. He moved his fingers back and forth, and in circles, which made Lizzie grind her hips. She moaned very quietly. Red leaned closer and kissed Lizzie as he continued pleasuring her, then he looked at her again. He carefully slid his middle finger downward, and as he rubbed her inner lips, he slipped between them. Lizzie whimpered and breathed heavily as he delicately stroked her slippery opening. He was already very hard, but feeling her warm, silky fluid made him rock hard. 

 “Do you want to make love, Lizzie? Red asked. 

 “Yes!” Liz breathed. 

 “Okay, sweetheart.” He said softly. 

 Red somewhat regretfully took his hand away from Lizzie’s wetness and he took his boxer briefs off. Liz stayed on her back and she spread her legs very wide as an invitation. 

 “Mm. You want me on top this time?” Red asked. 

 “Yeah.” Liz purred. 

 Red got on top of Lizzie, and she let out a shaky breath as his tip touched her. He was amused again, thinking about how she’d almost instantly orgasmed last time. It was adorable, plus he was thrilled that he had such a strong effect on her.

 “You like that, don’t you baby?” Red said, subtly rubbing against her.

 Liz whimpered excitedly. 

 “Yeah. It feels so good.” Liz said breathily. 

 Liz felt Red position himself at her opening, then just gently nudge forward a few times. She breathed heavier with the pleasure of him nudging her sensitive opening. She felt herself get even wetter, and she could tell Red was coated with her slippery fluid. 

 “Oh god Lizzie. You’re so wet.” Red said breathily. 

 “Mm. You do that to me.” Liz said, now squirming longingly. 

 “Are you ready, baby?” He asked. 

 “Yes! Red…please…” She said. 

 Red smirked slightly and slid inside Lizzie; she moaned and grasped his back. He pulled back and began gently thrusting. He moaned breathily as he got lost in the pleasure of being inside Lizzie again; her slick walls were hugging him, and she was meeting his thrusts. She wrapped her legs around him so she was better able to meet his thrusts. Lizzie whimpered “Red” very quietly, and he watched her face; she was just expressing her pleasure. He was delighted. 

 Liz rubbed Red’s back and caressed his shoulders as she held onto him; she enthusiastically moved with him as they both quickened the pace. She felt his long, hard member moving in and out more quickly, rubbing her walls and her very sensitive opening. She felt the perfect amount of friction; it was exquisite. Red lifted his upper body and used the headboard as leverage so that he could thrust into Lizzie at a slightly upward angle. He could also move a bit faster. 

 “Oh god…” Liz whimpered. 

 Red was pleased with Lizzie’s response. He continued this way, and she grabbed the headboard to brace herself. They moved faster and the headboard was banging against the wall. Liz blushed at the racket they were making, but she tried to put it out of her mind because they didn’t have any neighbours. Red could hear Lizzie whimpering and panting, and he could feel her tightening on him.  

 “Oh! Red!” Liz panted as she was on the verge of climaxing.

 A couple moments later, Liz cried out very loudly with an immense orgasm. Red felt Lizzie tense up and stay still under him, while her warm, slick walls kept squeezing him tighter. He thrust a few more times, then he groaned and spurted repeatedly into Lizzie with the very intense pleasure. Liz’s orgasm died down, and she felt gratified as she watched Red finish coming. They both let go of the headboard and she kissed him, then they caught their breath. 

 “Ohhh Lizzie.” Red sighed loudly in satisfaction.

 Liz giggled. 

 Red kissed her, then he gently pulled out and slumped down beside her. They both sighed contentedly and stayed quiet for several moments. 

 “Can you sleep now?” Red asked humorously. 

 “Yeah.” Liz said, giggling. 

 “Okay, baby. Let’s get some sleep.” He said tiredly. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Red managed to reach over and turn the lamp off, then he relaxed exhaustedly again. Once they’d cooled down for a little while, Liz snuggled up to him and pulled the blankets up. 

 “Night, Red.” Liz said softly. 

 “Goodnight, sweetheart.” Red said quietly. 

 A short while later, they both easily drifted off to sleep. 

 (To Be Continued…)


	8. Chapter 8

 Liz woke up and realized Red wasn’t in bed with her. She sat up and looked around, then she noticed a tray on the nightstand; it had a small glass of orange juice and a plate with a muffin on it. She moved closer to the nightstand and found that there was also a note on the tray, which read:

  _Lizzie,  
__I’ve gone to take care of some business. Be back shortly.  
__x R_

 Liz smiled at the romantic gesture and picked up the muffin; Red was so sweet. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red had hated leaving Lizzie earlier, but he wanted to start taking out the people on the list before the task force apprehended them. He was standing on the docks, waiting for the big tall fat guy with black curly hair to come over to him. He had to confirm that it was the right man before killing him. The man eventually noticed him and walked over. 

 “This area is off-limits, jackass.” The man said rudely. 

 Red smirked. 

 “Rivers is an associate of mine. He says you’ve been following a young woman?” Red said. 

 The man looked around. 

 “Yeah. You want in on that? Rivers wants to have her first, but you might be able to get the sloppy seconds.” The man said. 

 “Thank you for making this easy for me.” Red said. 

 The man looked puzzled, then Red held his hand out, as if to shake his hand. The man put his hand out and Red took it, then he swiftly cut all the way up the man’s wrist with a boxcutter. The man was in shock as he realized he’d been cut; blood started pouring out, so he staggered away from Red and held his wrist. The man was so shocked and busy trying to stop the bleeding that Red was easily able to grab his other wrist and do the same, then the man fainted and fell backwards. Red took a handkerchief to the boxcutter, then he placed the man’s fingerprints on it from both hands and left it on the docks near his body. Rivers would hear about the boxcutter and get the message. 

 Red wiped his hands with the handkerchief and put it in his pocket, then he left the scene. An associate drove him to a shabby gas station without security cameras. Red went into the washroom and he took his bloodstained jacket and shirt off, and washed his hands. He used cold water to wash the blood from the cuffs of his sleeves, then he put the clothes in a plastic grocery bag. He put on a fresh shirt and jacket, then he returned to the car. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red arrived back at the safe house and he heard the shower running. He thought about going into the bathroom to join Lizzie, but he didn’t want to startle her, so he put his jacket and gun away. He disposed of the other jacket and shirt, then he sat on the bed, relaxing. The shower turned off and he decided to announce his presence. He got up and went to the bathroom door. 

 “Lizzie, I’m back.” Red said gently. 

 “Oh okay!” Liz called to him. 

 She opened the door, still soaking wet and holding the towel around her, just above her breasts. 

 “Hello, beautiful.” He said softly. 

 Liz smiled and stepped closer to him; she timidly leaned in and kissed him. 

 “Thanks for breakfast. And the note.” She said. 

 “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He said quietly.

 They remained very close to each other, and they touched noses. Liz felt a bit weak in the knees as Red gently kissed her. He lightly took hold of her towel and she let go of it. He opened the towel and she thought he was going to take it off, but he just lovingly wrapped it around her shoulders.

 “You’re soaking wet…” Red said. 

 Liz smiled slightly at the innuendo. 

 “You don’t want to get a chill.” He said, rubbing her arms through the fuzzy towel.

 Liz giggled. 

 “Okay, I’ll dry off. I was just excited to see you.” She said, smiling. 

 “Mm.” He responded; he was thinking of making a sexual comment, but he refrained. 

 Liz stepped closer to Red so that their faces were very close again. 

 “Well…I should probably leave you to it.” Red said, almost against Lizzie’s lips.

 Liz was feeling lovestruck—and aroused—but it seemed she would have to wait. Red just gave her a soft kiss on the cheek again, then he backed away. 

 “I have to arrange for the next safe house. We should leave here as soon as possible.” He said. 

 “Oh. Okay.” She said. 

 Red nodded, then he walked away. 

 Liz was a little peeved about the abrupt end to the romance. She sighed quietly and began drying off. Red walked into the living room and called an associate to notify him about needing another safe house. 

 “Ah, good. I’ve always been rather fond of that part of the city…thank you.” Red said, then he hung up. 

 He put his phone in his pocket and turned around; his mouth dropped open. Lizzie was leaning against the hallway entrance, completely naked. Red struggled for a few moments to come up with something to say. 

 “…Oh my. Elizabeth…” Red said, gaping at her. 

 Liz smirked and stopped leaning against the entryway. 

 “Sweetheart…we really should get ready to go…” He said reluctantly. 

 “Are you sure? ‘Cause I think we’ve got time.” She said boldly. 

 Red was mentally kicking himself, but he needed to focus on their safety, especially after taking out another one of Rivers’ people earlier. He sighed heavily. 

 “I’m very sorry. Really. You’re killing me, quite frankly, but we have to pack and get going soon.” He said. 

 Liz sighed disappointedly. 

 “…Fine.” She said, then she went into the bedroom. 

 Red was mentally kicking himself even harder now; he’d just missed out on sex with Lizzie _and_ she was angry with him. Liz was in the bedroom, quickly getting dressed and feeling hurt; she tried not to take it personally, but she was insulted. She huffed as she pulled down her tank top, then she grabbed a few pieces of clothing and walked swiftly to the living room to put them in her bag. She ignored Red as she forcefully shoved the items into her bag. 

 “Lizzie…” Red began. 

 She ignored him and went into the bathroom to grab her toothbrush, then she came back. Red watched raptly as she put the toothbrush in a pocket and zipped it up; Lizzie was still ignoring him with everything she had. 

 “Sweetheart. I’ll make it up to you later, at the new safe house.” Red said. 

 Still nothing. 

 Liz pretended to be busy making sure she packed everything. 

 “If it makes you feel any better, I still have a raging hard-on that will make me _very_ uncomfortable for quite some time.” Red said. 

 Liz couldn’t prevent a smirk from appearing on her face; Red managed to see it. 

 “Oho! That _does_ make you feel better. I’m glad it amuses you.” He said humorously. 

 Liz tried to glare at him, but she just smirked. 

 “It was a bit insulting, Red.” She finally said. 

 “Well, it may have seemed that way, but I can assure you, it took everything I had to decline your…offer.” He said. 

 “Is that an attempt at an apology?” She teased. 

 Liz watched Red as he considered it for a moment. 

 “Not quite.” He said, appearing sheepish.

 He stepped closer to her. 

 “But this is.” He said. 

 Red gently pulled Lizzie close and he kissed her passionately; he grasped her hips and pulled her firmly against him. Liz whimpered as she felt the hard bulge in his trousers, tantalizingly close to where she craved it. When he stopped the kiss, she was breathless. 

 “Okay. I accept your apology.” Liz said breathily. 

 Red smirked and released her from his grasp. He then briefly went around the safe house and collected his things; he put them in a bag and put his sunglasses and hat on. 

 “Ready?” He asked. 

 “Yep.” Liz said. 

 Red gave her a brief smile and nod, then he led the way out of the safe house. He cautiously surveyed the area, then they made their way to the car. 

 “Here, Lizzie. You drive. I’ll give you the directions.” Red said, handing her the keys. 

 “Okay.” Liz said. 

 They got into the car, with Red in the back, and Liz put her seatbelt on. Red rolled his window down a little bit, and he was staring at a suspicious dark blob behind the fence at the side of the house. Liz started the car. 

 “So where—“ She began. 

 There was a loud bang as Red shot out the window. 

 “What the f—“ Liz started.

 “Drive, Lizzie.” Red said firmly. 

 Liz quickly backed out of the driveway, then Red told her to go right, so she did. 

 “What was that?” She asked. 

 “A man with a gun. I shot first.” He said. 

 “Who was he? One of Rivers’ people?” She asked. 

 “I assume so. I’ve pissed him off…” He said, astonished by the prompt retaliation by Rivers. 

 Liz glanced at Red in the rearview mirror. 

 “…What did you do?” She asked disappointedly. 

 “I sent him a message.” He said. 

 “You mean you killed someone.” She said cynically. 

 “Lizzie, that’s how it works. I have to do that, not only for your safety, but to maintain my power and status.” He said. 

 Liz glanced at him again; she had to admit to herself that she found his power and status kind of sexy. She sighed quietly and tried to snap out of it. 

 “You were supposed to let the task force handle it.” She scolded him. 

 “Yes, well, like I said…I have to do things a certain way. The task force can have one or two of them…that’s my compromise.” He said. 

 Liz felt like rolling her eyes, but she was concentrating on the upcoming intersection. 

 “Which way do we go?” She asked. 

 “Right again here, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz softened towards him again when he used the term of endearment. 

 “Okay.” She said more calmly. 

 “I just have to make a call.” He said, taking his phone out. 

 Red called Mr. Kaplan. 

 “Yes, Raymond.” She answered. 

 “There’s been a minor incident at the safe house. It’s outdoors in a remote area, so I don’t know if you want to see to it, or just let the animals deal with it.” Red said. 

 Liz cringed as she listened. 

 “I’ll take care of it. Better safe than sorry.” Mr. Kaplan said. 

 “Indeed. Thanks, Kate.” Red said. 

 “You’re welcome.” She said, then they hung up. 

 Red put his phone away and watched the scenery. They eventually came to a more populated area, and he directed Lizzie to the high-rise apartment building. They parked and grabbed their bags, then he led the way indoors. There was a concierge, so Red went up to the desk; the concierge automatically reached for a set of keys and handed it to him. He and Lizzie went up the elevator to the middle floor.

 “Oh…no penthouse?” Liz teased. 

 “No, the penthouse isn’t practical. If we need to escape using the stairwell, it’s not a good idea to have to go down eighteen flights of stairs.” Red said. 

 “Hm. Good point.” She said. 

 They went to the door and Red let them in. Liz took the bright, airy, lavish surroundings. 

 “This is great.” Liz said, putting her bag down. 

 Red smiled and put his bag down, then he took his hat and sunglasses off. 

 “Are you hungry for lunch? The kitchen is freshly stocked.” Red said. 

 “Yeah, lunch sounds good.” Liz said, going into the kitchen with him. 

 “What would you like? Or just browse through everything and see what you want, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz looked in the fridge and surveyed everything. Something in particular caught her eye. Something also caught Red’s eye: Lizzie’s cute butt as she was bent over, browsing the fridge. 

 “This isn’t the healthiest lunch, but can we have some of…this?” Liz said, bringing out a cherry cheesecake. 

 Red laughed. 

 “Ah. A woman after my own heart.” He said.

 Then they both realized the significance of that saying, and Liz blushed lightly. She smiled and Red distracted himself by getting some utensils out of the drawer. They were quiet as he sliced the cake for them. 

 “…Whoever does your supplies really knows what to shop for.” Liz said, making conversation. 

 “Yes, they do.” Red said. 

 He moved a plate over to Lizzie, then put the rest of the cake back in the fridge. She smiled at him and they sat at the island in the kitchen to eat. Red watched Lizzie taste the cake. 

 “Mmm.” Liz uttered as she was hit by the high quality of the cheesecake. 

 Red smirked amusedly, and he delighted in hearing Lizzie’s pleasure—perhaps a little too much. He distracted himself once again by starting to eat. They thoroughly enjoyed the cake, then Red did the dishes, despite Liz offering to do them. She went to the vast windows and appreciated the view, then she sat on the sofa. She watched Red walk into the living room, with his shirt sleeves rolled up; she surveyed him and she enjoyed looking at his bare forearms for some reason. He sat down next to her, so she looked away. She stared at the coffee table for a few moments and got lost in thought about the man at the safe house. 

 “Um…Red…I don’t really know how to ask this, but I’m curious.” Liz said nervously. 

 “What is it?” Red asked. 

 “Well…you…spared that one guy, because he had kids. But what about that man at the safe house? What if he had kids?” She said. 

 “I realize it might seem hypocritical of me, but I can’t spare everyone on the off-chance they might have children, Lizzie. As I’ve said before, it’s often us, or them. And it’s going to be them. I’m not going to let you, or myself, die because the enemy has offspring. If I know they do, for a fact, _and_ they don’t really pose a threat to us, then I’ll do what I can to prevent taking their lives. But honestly, even then, there’s no guarantee.” He said. 

 Liz just studied him as she listened. 

 “You may find this repugnant, but I can’t afford to be burdened by my conscience in the vast majority of situations I find myself in. It’s too dangerous. So I just do what I have to do and move on.” Red said. 

 Liz nodded slowly. 

 “I can understand that. I don’t know if I could do things that way myself, but it makes sense.” She said. 

 Red gazed fondly at her. 

 “You have a heart of gold, Elizabeth.” He said admiringly. 

 Liz chuckled quietly. 

 “Well, I don’t know about _that_ …” She said, smiling. 

 “I do.” He said, smiling back at her. 

 “Thanks.” She said. 

 Liz’s phone rang, so she went and grabbed it from her bag. 

 “Ressler?” She answered. 

 “You’re at a new safe house? Is everything okay?” He asked.

 “Yeah.” She said.

 “The surveillance team said your signal abruptly left the safe house, and you headed for the downtown area, so I needed to check in with you.” He said. 

 Liz looked at Red. 

 “Okay. Yeah, we’re fine, it was…just time to switch it up.” She said, not wanting Red to get in trouble. 

 “Alright. Stay safe, and let us know if you need anything.” He said. 

 “Thanks. Okay, bye.” She said. 

 They hung up and Liz returned to the sofa. 

 “Ressler wanted to know if we were okay because we rushed off to a new safe house. I omitted the whole Rivers’ crony stalking us and you shooting him part.” Liz said guiltily. 

 Red nodded subtly. 

 “It’s okay, sweetheart…Thank you.” He said softly. 

 She looked into his eyes for a few moments. 

 “You’re welcome.” She said quietly. 

 They gazed at each other for several moments, studying one another’s expression and trying to read it. They both went to say something at the same time, then stopped. 

 “Sorry. Go ahead.” Red said. 

 “I don’t like lying to my colleagues, but I didn’t want you to get into trouble.” Liz said.

 “I know, sweetheart.” He said softly. 

 “…What were you going to say?” She asked. 

 “Hm? Oh…nothing…” He said; he wasn't ready to say it after all. 

 Liz wasn’t convinced, but Red seemed to want to drop the issue, so she left it alone. She then got up and went over to her bag. Red smiled as Lizzie came back, carrying the fuzzy throw blanket from the last safe house.

 “I took your suggestion and I packed it.” Liz said, smiling. 

 “Good. I’m glad.” Red said. 

 Lizzie suddenly snuggled up to his side and put the throw over both of them. Red amusedly watched her as she fussed over the blanket, making sure it covered him enough. 

 “Thanks, baby.” He said instinctively. 

 They looked at each other as they realized their relationship seemed to be getting more serious as time went by. Liz blushed a little. 

 “You’re welcome.” She said quietly. 

 Liz contentedly rested her cheek against his shoulder, and after a few moments, she smiled when she felt Red gently kiss her on the head. 

 “I know I don’t really make it clear, since I mostly just scold you…but I appreciate your protection. I’d be kidnaped, or dead, if it weren’t for you. Thank you.” Liz said. 

 “You’re welcome, Lizzie.” Red said. 

 Liz snuggled even closer to Red and she put her hand on his abdomen, resting just above his belt. They sat quietly like that for a few minutes, then Liz nuzzled her face closer and kissed Red on the cheek, then his jaw, then his neck. She was feeling warm and aroused as she cuddled with him, and she was enticed by his lovely scent. She started passionately kissing his neck and lightly rubbed his abdomen, but she began to think he wasn’t interested, so she blushed and stopped. 

 “Don’t stop.” Red said quietly as he guided Lizzie’s hand downwards. 

 Liz blushed deeper and got very excited. She resumed kissing his neck, this time also rubbing the semi-hard bulge in his trousers. She heard him breathe a little heavier and he was getting harder under her hand. Red now felt his erection straining against the fabric of his trousers, and Lizzie was obviously horny, too. 

 “Lizzie…how about I make it up to you right now?” Red said. 

 “Okay.” Liz said. 

 “Let’s go into the bedroom.” He said.

 Liz was thrilled, and her ego was restored now that she was successfully seducing him—or was he seducing her? It didn’t really matter, she was just thrilled. They got up from the sofa and Red gently took Lizzie by the hand, leading her into the bedroom. As soon as they were in the room, he kissed her and lifted her tank top up and off. He undid his belt, then his trousers as they resumed kissing, but then they stopped kissing to get fully undressed. They lustfully surveyed each other’s naked bodies. 

 “Get on the bed, sweetheart.” Red gently instructed. 

 Liz crawled into the middle of the big bed and turned around to face him. She watched him get on the bed, then he leaned closer and kissed her passionately; he was advancing on her, so she lay back and opened her legs. Red kissed Lizzie’s neck and worked his way down her body, making sure to pay special attention to both nipples. She breathed heavily as he delicately suckled one and then the other. He looked at her abdomen and how it moved as his fingertips tickled her. He was now positioned with his face between her thighs. Liz blushed lightly as Red planted kisses on her inner thighs; he then put his mouth to her sensitive folds for the first time. He made a low “mmm” sound as he tasted her, and she sighed with pleasure. 

 Red was extremely gratified to be pleasuring Lizzie like this, and tasting her. He could hardly believe he was doing this with her; it was beyond his wildest dreams, and he loved every second of it. He gently sucked her clit, making her whimper and squirm, then he enthusiastically rubbed it with his tongue. He was lightly holding her hips, so he could feel her quivering; she was adorable. Red was tempted to make her orgasm like this, but he desperately wanted to be inside her again. He continued for several moments, then he stopped and looked up at her face. She was flushed and her beautiful eyes were blazing with lust. 

 Red got on top of Lizzie, hovering over her, and she writhed longingly beneath him. 

 “Red…” She purred, putting her hands on his biceps.

 Liz was ecstatic to be caged between Red’s arms, and underneath him; she wanted him inside her, though. She arched up, trying to get into a position where he could enter her. Red was a little astonished by how badly Lizzie was craving him. She was practically begging him to get started, so he lowered gently onto her and nudged her with the tip of his erection. Lizzie let out a soft whimper. Red pressed against her and he slipped inside; he paused, then he slid further into her warm, tight depth. Liz moaned breathily and closed her eyes at the sensation; she felt him gradually filling her up until he was all the way in, then he slowly, gently pulled back and thrust in again. 

 “Ohh…yeah…” Liz said breathily as she finally got what she wanted. 

 Red began thrusting steadily.

 “Mm…it feels good, doesn’t it, baby…” He said quietly. 

 “Yes!” She breathed. 

 Liz ran her hands down Red’s back, then back up; she pulled him closer so that they were pressed together and then she wrapped her legs around him. Red was enraptured when Lizzie made a cute little whimper and began meeting his thrusts. She continued to hold him close, caressing his back and holding onto his shoulders. He felt her becoming even wetter, so he was gliding in and out. They moved faster together, and they both felt the pleasure increasing rapidly. They breathed heavier as they moved in perfect rhythm with each other, quickening the pace at the right times. 

 “Mm! Red!” Liz whimpered. 

 “Come for me, baby…” Red breathed next to her ear. 

 “Oh!” She whimpered excitedly. 

 They moved faster, and Liz felt Red really driving into her. She teetered on the edge of climaxing for several moments, trembling and panting, then she cried out as the intense pleasure hit her. She tensed up and held him close; she was thrilled to feel him still thrusting hard. Red let out a sharp breath as he started coming. As he stayed still, he felt Lizzie’s silky walls and entrance tightening and relaxing, seeming to ripple on him. He gushed heavily into her until there was nothing left, then he moaned breathily as he relaxed. 

 Red looked at Lizzie and she had a very satisfied smile on her face. 

 “Oh. My. God.” She said, then she giggled softly. 

 “Mm.” He concurred, kissing her. 

 She enthusiastically kissed him in return, then they both hummed their relief and Red very gently withdrew from her. He got comfy beside her and they both stared at the ceiling for a few moments.

 “So, do you feel like I made it up to you, Lizzie?” Red said, smirking. 

 Lizzie let out a surprised laugh, which delighted him. 

 “You _more_ than made up for earlier.” She said emphatically. 

 Red smiled. 

 (To Be Continued...)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut in the later part of this chapter was inspired by a comment, and by the explicit/offensive/NSFW song “Often” by The Weeknd: https://youtu.be/YY2ng9SjCTo

 Late that evening, Red and Lizzie were sitting at the dining table, sipping wine. She kept glancing at him and smiling whenever there was a lull in the conversation; she seemed to be getting more smitten with him all the time. He felt the same about her, but he worried about what might happen if they got into a serious relationship. Lizzie would be an even more obvious target for his enemies, their lives would still be unstable and dangerous, and worst of all, she might realize she didn’t want to spend her life that way and leave him.

 “I didn’t know a downtown apartment could be a safe house.” Liz said. 

 “Well, it’s sort of…hiding in plain sight. Besides, I know several people here.” Red said. 

 Liz nodded, then she smiled at him again. 

 “You know several people everywhere we go.” She said. 

 “That’s not a coincidence. I go where I have connections.” He said. 

 Lizzie seemed to be gazing at him admiringly, and he smiled at her. 

 “It pays to be resourceful.” He said with surprising modesty. 

 “You’re resourceful, but also talented. You have a real knack for getting people to roll over for you. You could get anybody to do anything for you with that silver tongue.” She said in a somewhat sultry tone.

 Red raised an eyebrow slightly at the innuendos Lizzie was throwing out left and right. He smirked at her. 

 “Sometimes it actually doesn’t work, and I get myself into a real pickle.” He said wryly. 

 Liz chuckled. 

 “And then what do you do?” She asked. 

 “Then I have to use other methods.” He said. 

 “…Violence.” She said. 

 “…Yes.” He said. 

 The conversation had taken a more serious turn, and Liz wanted to regain the lightheartedness. She leaned back in her chair and took a sip of wine, looking at Red. 

 “But for the _most_ part, you can talk your way out of things.” She said, trying to lighten the mood. 

 Red also leaned back and he pondered her comment.

 “Hm. Perhaps about half the time…three quarters of the time, at most…” He said. 

  _So in other words, you’re violent about half the time_ , Liz thought.

 “Oh.” She replied seriously. 

 She was once again reminded that Red was actually a violent criminal. She’d hoped to minimize his violent acts and see him in this new, more romantic light, but he’d just brought her back to reality. They studied each other and Red noticed her blue eyes were no longer glinting with affection and admiration. He found himself desperately wanting to win it back. He felt like he was scaring her off.

 “Lizzie…as I’ve said, I use certain methods because I _have_ to…” Red said.

 “I know. I just…” Liz began. 

 Red waited patiently for her to continue. 

 “I dunno. Red, I…find myself enjoying your company, and wanting to spend all my time with you…we have this strangely deep connection, and I really like you.” She said, avoiding eye contact.

 Red just stayed quiet, so Liz started to blush and she felt compelled to fill the silence. 

 “Do you…feel like that…about me? If you _do_ , how would it work…?” Liz ventured. 

 Outwardly, Red played it cool as always but inside, his heart began racing. 

 “…I do…feel that way, Elizabeth. But I don’t know how it would work exactly. We could continue as we have been…but when you tire of that, I’m afraid I won’t be able to give you what you want.” Red said, with a vulnerability that clearly shocked Lizzie. 

 Liz’s brow furrowed and she looked both puzzled and saddened. 

 “Why would you think I’d tire of being with you?” Liz asked. 

 Red sighed very quietly. 

 “Sweetheart…we get along—in general—and we’re…attracted to each other, but would you really want to be in a long-term relationship with a notorious criminal?” He said, with a tinge of self-loathing.

 “Well, normally, I’d say no…but if that notorious criminal is _you_ …that’s different.” She said softly. 

 Red noticed Lizzie’s eyes twinkled again and she was relaxing; her demeanour softened towards him once more, and he was grateful for it. 

 “I don’t know how to respond to that.” Red said honestly. 

 Liz smiled and giggled quietly. 

 “You don’t have to respond to it. I just wanted you to know the answer to your question.” She said. 

 Red nodded slowly, processing the implication; Lizzie had just told him she wanted to be in a long-term relationship with him. They looked at each other, and Liz was somewhat amused by Red’s stunned silence; he was usually so eloquent. 

 “Forgive me…I’m just a little lost in thought.” Red said. 

 “It’s okay.” Liz said, smiling gently. 

 Red watched Lizzie give him a coy look before taking a sip of her wine. 

 “Would you want things to change much? Because that’s what worries me…I can’t do much to change my life or our situation.” He said. 

 Liz considered it for a few moments. 

 “Things don’t have to change. I just want to _continue_ …” She said. 

 “Hm. Well…I can manage that…” He said quietly. 

 Lizzie smiled broadly at him, and his heart swelled. 

 “I can manage that, too.” She said, grinning.

 Liz was very pleased to see Red smile and relax in his chair; he took a sip of wine and gazed at her. 

 “So, does this mean I’m your _boyfriend_ now?” Red said humorously. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “I don’t think that term really suits you. How about ‘significant other’? You’re certainly a very significant person in my life.” Liz said lightheartedly. 

 Red gave a single nod. 

 “I could live with that.” He said. 

 “Am I your girlfriend now?” She asked teasingly. 

 “The term suits you, actually…with your youth and girlish charm…” He said, surveying her face. 

 Lizzie smirked and looked down in a coy manner. 

 “But perhaps it’s more pertinent to say you’re my significant other. You’re actually… _the_ most significant person in my life, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Lizzie looked up and into his eyes; she was obviously moved. 

 “…That’s sweet.” She said quietly. 

 Red tilted his head and studied her carefully. 

 “It’s true.” He said. 

 They just stared at each other for a few moments, then Red took the final sip of his wine and put his glass down on the table. Liz felt a little nervous all of a sudden from the intense way he was looking at her. 

 “…Um…since you ‘sent a message’ to Rivers this morning, he’ll probably increase his efforts to get your people-smuggling business—or to abduct me. What’s your next move?” Liz said, trying to ease the tension. 

 Red looked smug.

 “Moves.” He said. 

 “Hm?” She responded. 

 “I try to be at least three moves ahead of people at all times.” He explained. 

 “Oh. What’s your plan, then?” She said. 

 “To keep you safe, sweetheart. The less you know about the details, the better.” He said. 

 “…Okay.” She said, with her imagination running wild. 

 Red got up and went to the sink to rinse his glass out, then he returned. 

 “I don’t want you to get in trouble, Red. Or worse.” Liz said. 

 “I know. I’ll be fine.” Red said. 

 Liz finished her wine, then Red gently took the glass from her and went to the sink again. He came back and stood beside her, so she looked up at him. He put his hand on her shoulder, then he kissed her on the head. 

 “Let’s relax in the living room and see what’s on TV.” Red suggested. 

 “Okay.” Liz said, then she got up and followed him into the living room. 

 They sat on the sofa and Red turned the TV on; he flipped channels and Liz worried that his ‘message’ to Rivers would show up on the next channel as breaking news. There was nothing, however, so she started to relax. 

 “Red…” Liz said. 

 Red relished hearing his name from Lizzie’s lips. 

 “Yes, sweetheart?” He asked, turning to look at her. 

 “Samar already knows about us…do you mind?” She asked. 

 “Of course not.” He said assuredly. 

 “Okay, good.” She said. 

 “Do _you_ mind?” He asked. 

 “No. I was the one who told her. I kinda bragged about it, actually…” She said, smirking. 

 “Oh, did you now?” He said playfully. 

 “Yeah.” She said. 

 “What’s there to brag about?” He asked interestedly. 

 “…How amazing you are in bed…” She said, with her cheeks getting warmer. 

 She saw Red’s surprised expression and hurriedly continued. 

 “I didn’t give her any specifics! I just implied that you were amazing.” She blurted out. 

 “I see.” He said amusedly. 

 Red crossed his legs and became smug again. 

 “No need to worry, Lizzie. I don’t mind if my…sexual prowess becomes workplace gossip.” He said smugly. 

 Liz laughed delightedly. 

 “Okay. Maybe I’ll brag about it _explicitly_.” She teased. 

 “That’s fine by me, although I don’t think they would be remotely interested in the explicit details.” He said, smirking. 

 “Samar might be.” She said. 

 Red laughed. 

 “What exactly would you tell her?” He asked. 

 “Oh, so you _do_ mind.” She said. 

 “No, I just wondered what your favorite, gossip-worthy parts are.” He said. 

 “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious what my favorite part is.” She said suggestively, as she dramatically eyed the front of his trousers. 

 Red smirked at her, then she continued. 

 “But I would also brag about how…attentive you are…you pay attention to how I’m feeling, and what my body is telling you. I really like that. And I’d brag about how experienced you are; you know what feels good and how to do it. And how you learn everything I like, and everything about my body…” She said. 

 Red was getting aroused as he listened to Lizzie. 

 “Mm.” He responded.

 “And of course how cuddly you are.” She said, then she giggled softly. 

 “Perhaps you should leave the cuddly part out.” He said comically. 

 Red was delighted when Lizzie carried on giggling at that. 

 “Okay, we can keep that part a secret.” She purred.

 Lizzie was suddenly pressed against his side, and she kissed his cheek. She was snuggling very close, then she sighed contentedly as she put her head in the crook of his neck. Red put his arms around her and held her, which elicited a soft hum of pleasure. Liz revelled in Red’s warmth and strength as he held her; she felt him kiss her on the head and give her a loving squeeze. 

 Red was amused as he felt Lizzie press her body impossibly close against his, nuzzling into him; he half-expected her to crawl onto his lap, purring and rubbing her side on him. 

 “Are you cozy, sweetheart?” Red asked softly, as a smile tugged at his lips. 

 “Yeah.” Liz said. 

 “Good.” He said quietly. 

 Liz was startled when her phone rang; she picked it up from the coffee table. 

 “Ressler?” She answered. 

 “Liz, we see one of the drug syndicate’s signals downtown, heading in your direction. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.” Ressler said. 

 Red noticed Lizzie’s worried expression, and gave her an expectant look. 

 “Hang on a sec.” She said to Ressler, then she covered the phone mic. 

 “A member of the drug syndicate is downtown, heading our way.” She said to Red. 

 “Ask him what the plan is, but put him on speaker.” He said. 

 Liz put the call on speaker phone. 

 “Ressler, I’ve put you on speaker. What’s the plan?” She said. 

 “We’re going to call the local PD and they can intercept the person until you make your getaway.” He said. 

 “That won’t be necessary, Donald. I know for a fact that the person is _not_ coming to this building. Elizabeth is safe.” Red said. 

 Liz looked at him, puzzled. 

 “…How do you know that?” Ressler asked. 

 “As I said, it’s a fact. When it comes to Lizzie’s safety, you can trust me.” Red said. 

 There was a long pause. 

 “Fine. Please be on high alert and stay safe. Liz, don’t let Reddington’s pride get in the way. If you need help, let us know.” Ressler said. 

 Red smirked unamusedly.

 “Okay. Thanks. Bye.” She said, then they hung up. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Out in the busy downtown street, a black sedan with tinted windows crawled alongside a man wearing a distressed brown leather jacket. Baz rolled down the back window. 

 “Hey man. Rivers sent us to collect you. Change of plan.” Baz said. 

 He trusted him, because how else would he know about his boss and the plan? The car stopped and he watched the man with a ponytail move over; he got into the car. 

 The driver continued on while Baz swiftly wrapped a cord around the man’s neck and held it steadfastly in place until the man went limp. 

 “Is he dead or passed out?” The driver asked. 

 “Red’s orders were to kill him, so he’s dead.” Baz said, then he checked for a pulse to make sure. He was indeed dead. 

 The driver nodded and Baz removed the cord while they carried on their journey all the way to the vacant office building where Rivers liked to conduct his business. Baz opened the car door and shoved the body out, dropping it near the back door of the building, then he closed the car door as they quickly drove off. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Aram was checking on the surveillance signals and he noticed the signal went away from downtown, to a safe distance from Liz and Reddington’s safe house. 

 “Mr. Reddington was right; the person didn’t go to their building.” Aram said to Ressler. 

 “…Yeah.” Ressler said suspiciously. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red hadn’t explained his mysterious contingency plan to Liz, but she trusted him and she knew they were safe, so she let it go. They were still watching TV together, and she was curled up at his side with his arm around her. 

 “I enjoy this leisure time with you, Lizzie. It gives me some semblance of normalcy.” Red said. 

 “Good. I like it too.” Liz said. 

 She kissed him on the cheek, and he rubbed her upper arm in response. She smiled to herself, thinking about how _the_ Raymond Reddington was a big softie—where she was concerned, anyway. As he’d humorously requested, she wouldn’t tell that to Samar or anyone, but she cherished it. They flipped channels, but there was nothing they wanted to watch, so Red left it on some old British murder mystery. Lizzie seemed to be getting into it a little bit, despite how awful it was, which he found amusing and very cute. He turned towards Lizzie and kissed her on the cheek; he then leaned in and delicately nibbled her ear lobe. 

 “Oh…Red…” Liz said interestedly. 

 He moved down and kissed her neck. Liz revelled in feeling his soft lips, warm breath and wet, warm tongue on her neck. She got goosebumps on her arms. 

 “Mmm…” She responded softly. 

 Red put his hand on Lizzie’s knee, then he slowly slid it up her thigh; he was pleased when she opened her legs as an invitation. He moved his hand to her inner thigh, then he went up and pressed against the very warm fabric between her legs. She quietly whimpered.

 “Lizzie…come to the bedroom with me.” Red said in her ear. 

 “Okay.” Liz said dreamily; she was under his spell and he could take her anywhere. 

 Red gave Lizzie a sweet kiss on the cheek, then he got up and led her into the bedroom. 

 “Get naked for me, sweetheart.” He said while he started unbuttoning his shirt. 

 Liz eagerly took her top off, then her bra; she watched Red as he appreciatively surveyed her breasts, and she smiled. They both continued undressing until they were naked. Liz was thrilled to see how hard Red was already. She blushed lightly and gazed lustfully at his erection; he noticed, and smirked slightly. 

 “I’ll give this to you later…” Red said seductively as he ran his hand over his length. 

 Lizzie’s mouth dropped open a little as she watched. He stopped and approached her; he put his hands on her waist and backed her against the bed, so she lay down. He leaned over her and kissed her passionately. Liz caressed Red’s chest as they kissed, then he began moving downward. He teased her nipples with his tongue, and he heard her sigh with pleasure. Her nipples got hard, and goosebumps came up all over her. 

 Lizzie’s butt was on the edge of the bed; Red ran his hands down her abdomen and thighs as he knelt in front of her. He guided Lizzie’s thighs so that she rested them on his shoulders while he put his mouth on her moist, sensitive flesh. 

 “Ohh…” Liz moaned. 

 Red gently licked along her folds, then he focused on rubbing her clit; Lizzie whimpered and moved against his mouth. He enthusiastically continued his efforts and he could feel her clit becoming firmer; he heard another cute whimper from her and her thighs began trembling lightly on him. She was breathing heavily and nudging against his mouth every now and then. Liz felt vibrations as Red made a low “mmm” sound while sucking on her clit. 

 “Oh god.” Liz breathed. 

 He put his head off to the side so that he could easily flick his tongue back and forth over her very firm clit. Her legs became shakier and she was whimpering as she got close to climaxing. Red could tell Lizzie was close, so he went back to sucking her clit, then he began rubbing it steadily again. She suddenly whimpered loudly and squirmed against his mouth as she reached her orgasm. Red was immensely gratified as she trembled, squirmed and whimpered; she was delicious. Liz became super-sensitive afterwards, so when Red resumed licking her, she jumped backwards a little. She heard a low chuckle as he released her from his grip. 

 Liz caught her breath and closed her eyes for a moment. 

 “Wow…Red…” She said breathily. 

 “I’m not finished with you yet, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz looked down at him and she noticed he was stroking himself; she was pretty much instantly turned on again. She watched Red move closer to her, and she opened her legs, resting her feet on the edge of the bed. Red nudged Lizzie’s wet opening, and his precum mixed with her fluid; he then guided his tip so that it slipped up and down her folds. He rubbed against her extremely sensitive, hard clit. Her legs involuntarily twitched, and she gasped and whimpered, then a moment later, she clutched the bed and orgasmed again. Liz hadn’t expected that; she felt shaky all over, yet when she looked down at Red and his erection, she was still aroused. 

 “Do you want more?” Red asked seductively. 

 “Yes.” Liz whimpered quietly. 

 Red took hold of her ankles, and he guided her legs up so that her ankles rested on his shoulders. Liz felt him nudge her opening and gently push inside; she was tight and swollen after the two orgasms, so he patiently went slow until he was all the way in. 

 “Ohhh god….Red….” Liz moaned breathily. 

 Red caressed Lizzie’s thighs, then he held her legs on his shoulders as he began thrusting. 

 “Mm. Lizzie…” Red said intensely. 

 Red was enraptured by how tight Lizzie was on him; she was becoming wetter again as he thrust. He kept pushing into her snug, silky, slippery depth and it was divine. They watched each other’s faces and Lizzie looked like she was lost in pleasure again. She closed her eyes in intense concentration, and she was panting and whimpering. 

 “You okay baby?” Red asked, to make sure. 

 “Fuck yeah.” Liz breathed. 

 He smirked slightly, then he resumed concentrating. 

 Liz felt Red thrust faster, and she was amazed; he was causing such a sweet friction against her very sensitive walls, he was igniting every nerve she had down there. 

 “…I’m…close again…” She said, somewhat astonished. 

 “Mmm. Yes, sweetheart…come for me…” He said. 

 Red went faster, and Lizzie whimpered and grabbed the sheets. He could see the intense pleasure on her face; it almost looked like she was in pain, but she was in total bliss. 

 “Mm! Red!” She whimpered urgently. 

 “That’s it, baby…good girl…” He said. 

 After several more moments of his quick thrusting, Liz cried out so loudly that the neighbours surely heard her. She felt her walls clamping very strongly down on Red with the waves of pleasure. Red was enthralled by Lizzie’s orgasm; watching, hearing and feeling her pleasure drove him over the edge. He groaned, then he throbbed and spurted repeatedly into her snug warmth. Their orgasms lasted several long moments, then they both sighed loudly and caught their breath. 

 They looked at each other and Red smirked at Lizzie’s awestruck expression; she then smiled weakly and started giggling, which delighted him. 

 “Red. I don’t even know what to say.” She said, grinning. 

 He chuckled gently. 

 “You don’t have to say anything. Your expression says it all.” He said humorously. 

 Liz giggled again and lay completely limp. Red gently slipped out of her; he took hold of her hips and playfully shoved forward, causing her to slide into the middle of the bed. 

 “Oh!” She said, then she laughed. 

 Liz could now rest her legs on the bed, so Red put them down. He got on the bed and lay down next to her and she gazed admiringly at him. Liz had gone from no sex, to great sex, to mind-blowingly amazing sex in a very short time span, thanks to Red. 

 “Well…I think I’m ready for bed now.” Liz said, smiling. 

 She felt jelly-like all over, and tired out. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “Did I wear you out?” Red asked smugly. 

 “Yeah, actually, you did.” She said, chuckling. 

 “Wonderful.” He said happily. 

 They smiled at each other. 

 “Now you _really_ have something to brag about.” He said, smirking.

 Liz laughed delightedly. 

 “Come here, sweetheart.” Red said gently. 

 Lizzie snuggled up to him and he put the blanket over both of them. He turned the lamp off and sighed contentedly. 

 “Goodnight, Lizzie.” Red said.

 “Night, Red.” Liz said. 

 They cuddled and promptly fell asleep. 

 (To Be Continued...)


	10. Chapter 10

 The next morning, Liz awoke to a soft kiss on her lips. She hummed softly and opened her eyes; Red was leaning over her, already dressed.

 “I’ll be right back, Lizzie. You’ve got your phone, gun, and pyjamas right here next to you. But you’ll be fine. See you in a little while.” Red said quietly, then he kissed her again. 

 “Be careful, Red.” Liz said. 

 “I will, don’t worry.” He said. 

 Liz sighed and stretched while Red left. She wondered where he was going, but she had a pretty good idea of what he’d be doing. It would be something to do with Rivers’ people. She really wished he would leave it to the task force, but on the other hand, she was grateful for his protection and obsessive devotion to her. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red and Dembe walked into a condemned building, where Baz had two men tied to support beams. 

 “What do we have here? I thought you only had one.” Red said.

 “The other guy was hiding in the car. I found him and brought him along.” Baz said. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “Fantastic!” He said, then he stepped closer to the two restrained men as they sat on the floor. 

 “Do you know why you’re here?” Red asked them. 

 “…Rivers.” The one man said reluctantly. 

 “What about Rivers?” Red probed teasingly. 

 “He pissed you off.” The man said. 

 “That’s right. Well done. You deserve a gold star…or a bullet.” Red said, then he cocked his gun and aimed it at the man’s head. 

 “Where are the others right now?” Red asked. 

 “I dunno.” The man said. 

 “Hm.” Red responded. 

 He shot the man in the head, then looked at his shocked associate, who was now panicking and trying to free himself. 

 “Perhaps _you_ know the answer.” Red said, aiming at him. 

 “They’re all doing their own thing, but they’re meeting up tonight, near your new safe house. Rivers wants us to get Elizabeth once and for all. Unless you’re ready to hand over your human trafficking sources.” The frightened man said. 

 “He’s not getting it. And my ‘human trafficking’ is merely moving associates, fugitives and refugees around to where they need to go. Rivers is a sick bastard who wants to turn it into sex trafficking. Did you know that part?” Red said frustratedly. 

 “No. We were just told either he gets your business, or we take your girlfriend.” The man said. 

 “…Where exactly are they meeting, and when?” Red asked. 

 The man hesitated, so Red moved closer and held the gun about an inch away from his head. 

 “The back of the pizza place next door to your safe house. Eleven p.m. Rivers figured we could wait there and then go to your safe house to catch you off guard, in bed with your girl.” The man said. 

 “Oh, _did_ he? Interesting. What’s your financial situation?” Red said. 

 “…What?” The man asked, puzzled. 

 “How are you doing, financially?” Red said. 

 “Uh…I get by, but Rivers doesn’t pay us a lot. Why?” The man said. 

 “Because I’m hiring you. I’ll pay you ‘a lot’. You’ve been very helpful. Baz, untie the man. Now, I realize that you sang like a canary when I pointed a gun at you. You may not be the best at keeping secrets, but you seem to value your life. And money. I’ll give you a trial run, at least. If you screw up, then I’ll just kill you. Okay?” Red said. 

 “Um…okay.” The man said. 

 “By the way, are you the guy who lives in the yellow house on Winter Road?” Red asked. 

 “No. He was.” The man said, pointing at the dead body nearby. 

 “I see. I can’t tell which is which. I just knew one of you lived there. That saves me a trip to that part of town.” Red said. 

 The man just stared at him. 

 “Dembe, please escort this gentleman back to his home and make sure he stays there until all this is over with tonight. Get Tiny Robert to keep him company.” Red said. 

 Dembe nodded.

 Red turned to the man. 

 "You'll like Tiny Robert. He's about seven feet tall, four hundred and fifty pounds, with a great sense of humor." Red said.

 The man looked nervous, then Dembe led him out of the building. Red called Mr. Kaplan about the body, then he and Baz went back downtown to the safe house. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz heard the door unlock and she put her hand over her gun, ready to grab it, but then she saw Red come in. 

 “You took quite a while. Is everything okay?” Liz said. 

 “Everything’s fine, Lizzie. I just had some business to take care of. How are you doing?” Red said as he approached her. 

 “I’m fine. I just…missed you.” She admitted. 

 Red smiled gently, then he put his arms around her; Lizzie embraced him in return, and they held each other for several moments. 

 “I’m here now, baby.” He said softly.

 They pulled apart slightly and looked at each other. Liz smiled because he called her ‘baby’ again. She caressed Red’s cheek and gazed into his amazing green eyes, then she brushed her lips over his. Red pressed his mouth to hers and began kissing her passionately as his hands gently grasped her hips. He pulled her closer and held her against him as he became hard. 

 “Mm.” Liz responded as she felt it. 

 She stopped the kiss. 

 “I guess you missed me, too.” She said flirtatiously. 

 “I did.” He said quietly. 

 Red still had to take his hat and coat off, not to mention his gun, so he reluctantly pulled back. 

 “Just let me get settled in, sweetheart, then we can have a repeat of last night, if you want.” Red said. 

 Liz bit her lip excitedly, and she stepped back from him. 

 “Okay.” She said shyly. 

 Red took his hat off and smiled charmingly at Lizzie. 

 “That _is_ what you want, isn’t it?” Red asked. 

 “Yes.” Liz said earnestly.

 Red took his coat off and stepped closer. He cupped her face in his hands, then he ran his hands down over her breasts. He held her waist with one hand while the other came up between her legs.

 “You want me to touch all your favorite spots…kiss you…fill you up…make you come.” Red said seductively as he pressed her clit through her soft lounge pants.

 Liz blushed, sighed shakily and grasped his shoulders. 

 “Yes.” She breathed. 

 Red stopped and removed his gun, then he put it on the countertop. He began unbuttoning his vest. 

 “Well, let’s go in the bedroom, Lizzie.” He said suavely. 

 “Okay.” She said breathily. 

 They went into the bedroom together, and Liz quickly took her comfy clothes off and became naked. She wasn’t wearing a bra or panties. As Red undressed, she got on the bed and reclined against the pillows. She decided to give him a show. She opened her legs and writhed longingly as she pressed on her clit with the pads of her fingers. Liz massaged her breast while she played with herself, then she rubbed her nipple. She watched Red as he finally took his boxer briefs off. She hummed softly in arousal, arched her back and slid her middle finger down between her inner lips to delicately rub her opening. 

 Red was enjoying this show so much, he decided to watch her make herself come. He grasped his erection and began moving his hand up and down his shaft. Lizzie blushed and her mouth dropped open slightly; she breathed heavier as she gazed lustfully at his erection. 

 “Oh, you like that, don’t you baby.” Red said lustfully. 

 “Mmm…yes…” Liz said weakly as she felt the pleasure rising. 

 Liz watched Red stroking and pumping his cock, and she was getting close to climaxing. She teased herself by nudging her opening with the tip of her finger, then she whimpered and started pressing quickly back and forth on her clit to get satisfaction. She watched raptly as Red got on the bed and knelt close in front of her. He stroked his member and then pointed it down towards her. He was tantalizingly close to where she wanted him; she whined as she craved him. Liz saw some of his precum leak out of his tip as he firmly stroked himself. He used it to lubricate his movements. She became so excited as she saw his cock glistening, she reached her orgasm. She moaned and arched up as the intense pleasure went through her. As she came down from it, she wanted more.

 “Red…I want you to fuck me hard.” Liz said breathily. 

 Red rumbled approvingly, then he grabbed Lizzie’s thighs and slid her downwards on the bed. He positioned himself on top of her and guided his tip to her opening. Lizzie breathed heavily and brought her knees up at his sides, then she moaned as he entered her. She grasped his back and pulled him, so he went deeper. 

 “I’m not going to last long this time.” Red said intensely as he squeezed into Lizzie’s tight heat. 

 “Neither am I.” Liz breathed, then she clawed his lower back and tried to get him to start thrusting. 

 Red pulled back and thrust in, and Liz was ecstasy. 

 “Ohhh yeah!” She purred. 

 Red moaned as he felt Lizzie get wetter around him; she was slippery, so he was gliding in and out. 

 “Mm! Faster!” She pleaded. 

 Red thrust faster and Lizzie got more vocal. She panted and whimpered with his hard, quick thrusts. They were already frantic and trying to achieve release. 

 “Ohh fuck…Lizzie…” Red said breathlessly. 

 Liz felt Red thrust even faster, and she whined intensely and held his shoulders as she tensed up. She whimpered a few times, then she cried out as she began orgasming. He immediately started coming; he groaned and throbbed rhythmically against her tight walls as he gushed inside her. They remained still and tense for several more moments, then they relaxed and caught their breath. Red gently slumped onto Lizzie, still supporting his weight, then he kissed her cheek. He lifted up and looked at her. 

 “That went a little differently than I planned, but it was fun.” Red said, smirking. 

 Liz giggled. 

 “It was amazing.” She said happily. 

 “Mm.” He agreed as he kissed her.

 Red gently withdrew from Lizzie and got comfy on his back on the bed. 

 “It’s a good thing we did this now. I’m going to be busy tonight.” He said. 

 Liz turned onto her side and propped herself on her elbow to look at him. 

 “Why, what’s going on tonight?” She asked. 

 “Progress.” He said. 

 Liz studied Red and wondered why he had to be so cryptic all the time. 

 “What kind of progress?” She asked. 

 “Tonight marks the end of all the trouble Rivers and his men have caused. No one will follow you after that, Lizzie. Well, none of Rivers’ people, anyway.” He said. 

 Liz noticed that Red was still being cryptic; he obviously didn’t want to give her the details. That usually meant something serious and illegal was going to happen, and it was better that she didn’t know about it. 

 “Well…can I do anything to help? Let me bring in the task force.” Liz said. 

 “I have my own task force, sweetheart. Just let me deal with this, so that everything can go back to normal.” Red said, gazing into her eyes. 

 Liz thought that sounded nice: things returning to normal. No more mysterious stalkers hounding her all the time. 

 “Okay. But be careful, and don’t screw up your deal with _my_ task force. I need you, Red.” Liz said worriedly. 

 “It’ll be fine. I’ve got nine lives, and I’m only on my fifth one.” He said, smirking. 

 Liz put her hand on Red’s cheek and leaned in to kiss him. She gave him a firm, lasting kiss, then she pulled back and looked into his eyes again. 

 “Red…” She began. 

 “Yes?” He said. 

 “…I’m falling in love with you.” She said quietly. 

 Red was stunned for a few moments. 

 “Lizzie…” He said. 

 Liz felt embarrassed as she prepared herself for a rejection. She moved away and Red sat up against the headboard. 

 “This wasn’t…part of the plan for you. For us…” Red began. 

 “Oh, so this was all a big mistake.” Liz said, feeling very hurt. 

 “No no…sweetheart, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Things shouldn’t have gone this far, between us, but…believe me when I say that I’m extremely glad they _have_.” He said. 

 Liz looked at Red again. 

 “I love you, Lizzie. I’m already in love with you.” Red admitted. 

 It was Liz’s turn to feel stunned; she gaped at him for a few moments. She was trying to figure out what to say when he leaned in and kissed her. She felt his arms around her, so she hugged him back. 

 “Come here, baby.” Red said, pulling Lizzie with him as he lay down again. 

 Liz giggled slightly as she was squished against Red while he held her tightly. 

 “We’ve got a bit of time to relax.” He said softly. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Later that night, Liz was feeling nervous and helpless after Red left the safe house. He stubbornly wouldn’t give her any details and he insisted on her staying there while he took care of the Rivers problem. She paced around, holding and checking her phone. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red, Dembe, Baz and twelve other associates converged on the pizza parlor. Dembe took a stroll through the front of the store to scout the layout and get innocent people to safety. Luckily, it was empty except for the worker, and he was not innocent; he was an associate of Rivers. 

 “Can I help you?” The man asked. 

 “No, thanks, I just wanted to see how many tables you have here. I have a party of fifteen.” Dembe said. 

 “Oh. Sorry, we don’t have room.” The man said. 

 “Okay, thank you.” Dembe said, nodding. 

 He left the storefront and stood guard to make sure no one went in, while Red and the rest of the associates went around to the back of the building. Baz checked the back door, and remarkably, it was unlocked. Red nodded, so Baz quietly opened the door and the entire group of them went inside, one after the other like a SWAT team. Red went in last and he felt gratified when he saw all of his people’s guns trained on the puny group of five men from Rivers’ gang. 

 “I might have overdone it a tad, but I wanted to be sure I outgunned you. Are you going to give up your hunt for Elizabeth Keen, or are you going to go down with Rivers’ ship?” Red said. 

 None of Rivers’ men said anything.

 “Hm.” Red responded, astonished. 

 He gave a hand gesture to his team and the five loyal Rivers cronies were each shot several times by silenced guns. 

 “I definitely overdid it.” Red said, nodding. 

 Although it had been quiet, the man from the front of the store walked down the hall to the back room. Red turned around and within a second, he shot him in the forehead and the man dropped to the floor. 

 “That’s it for the cronies. Now for Rivers.” Red said. 

 The associates all nodded and left the building. Red called Mr. Kaplan. 

 “Kate. There’s a mess in the back of the pizza parlor by the downtown safe house.” Red said. 

 “…How big of a mess?” Kate asked. 

 “A small massacre. It was overkill, I’m afraid. Thanks in advance.” Red said. 

 Kate sighed quietly. 

 “No problem, Raymond.” She said, then they hung up. 

 Red and Dembe met up and joined the rest of the group to discuss where to hunt down Rivers. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz checked her phone and sighed; there was nothing from Red yet. Suddenly, she heard the door unlock with a key card. The door opened and she was shocked and scared to see a stranger. 

 “Ah, Elizabeth Keen, I presume.” The man said in a prim English accent. 

 Liz raised her gun and took aim. 

 “There’s no need to be hostile. Reddington and I go way back.” The man said. 

 “I know who you are. You’re Rivers. The man who’s been trying to take Red’s business, or _me_.” Liz said angrily. 

 “Oh, you call him ‘Red’, do you? How cute.” Rivers said. 

 Rivers stepped a little closer, so Liz stepped back and aimed more accurately. 

 “Is that what you call him in bed? I hope you’ll come up with a nickname for me, when you’re in my bed.” He said. 

 “You’re a sick fuck.” She said venomously. 

 “And you’re a nice, law-abiding citizen. In fact, you’re in law _enforcement_. You won’t shoot me unless you have to. All we’re doing is talking. Is that cause for self-defense?” He said, stepping closer. 

 Liz knew it wouldn’t be self-defense, but she was tempted to shoot him now and get it over with. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 A few doors down from the safe house, Red decided to follow Lizzie’s wishes and get the task force involved—slightly. He called Aram.

 “Aram. I need a favor. Please find the signal for the following cell phone…” Red said. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 “I can see why Reddington is wrapped around your little finger. You’re quite the beauty. Do you get off on his power, or money? Or is it some…other endowment?” Rivers said. 

 Liz felt sickened, and her trigger finger tightened a little. 

 “I’ve got everything he’s got. I’m sure you’d find it satisfactory.” He said. 

 “Fuck you.” She said hatefully. 

 “I’d like that.” He said. 

 Rivers suddenly lunged for her, trying to grab the gun, but Liz fired two shots into his chest. He stood still while she backed away from him; blood started to soak his shirt and he knelt down weakly. He passed out and slumped on the floor, with blood pooling under and around him. Liz was in shock; she kept her gun pointed at him, anxiously thinking he might get up. She heard the door unlock again and she shakily pointed her gun at the door, but it was Red rushing in. He stopped in his tracks as he noticed Rivers lying on the floor, bleeding. 

 “Lizzie, are you okay?” Red asked worriedly. 

 “Yeah. I think he’s dead.” Liz said. 

 She thought Red would check for a pulse, but instead, he just stepped over the body and pulled her into a big hug. 

 “I’m sorry. I should’ve stayed here with you.” Red said. 

 “It’s okay. I can look after myself.” Liz said. 

 “I see that…” He said, almost humorously. 

 “Are _you_ okay?” She asked. 

 They pulled apart and looked at each other. 

 “I’m fine, sweetheart. We found his cronies, and they will no longer be a problem. Aram found Rivers’ phone signal for me, so the task force will be on its way here.” He said. 

 “Thanks, Red.” She said.

 Red nodded briefly. 

 “Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked. 

 “Yeah. But…can we…” She began. 

 Red searched Lizzie’s face and waited impatiently. 

 “What do you need, baby?” He asked eagerly. 

 “I need to stay with you, in your safe houses from now on.” She said timidly. 

 “Are you sure you’d want to live like that, even though it’s no longer necessary?” He asked. 

 “Yes. I wanna be with you, Red.” She said earnestly. 

 “Okay, Lizzie.” He agreed, then he hugged her again. 

 Ressler barged in while Red was kissing Liz; he looked in astonishment from them, to the dead body on the floor, back to the happy couple. He decided to deal with the corpse first. 

 “What happened, Liz?” Ressler asked. 

 Liz was startled and pulled away from Red; she blushed about the kiss. 

 “Lizzie defended herself while I was out taking care of other business.” Red explained. 

 Ressler didn’t really trust Red, so he looked to Liz for confirmation. She nodded. 

 “He let himself in with a key card, somehow, then he just talked for a while. Eventually, he lunged at me and I shot him to protect myself.” Liz said. 

 “Alright. Were you injured?” Ressler said. 

 “No, I’m okay. But I’m exhausted. Can Red and I go home?” She said. 

 Ressler was astonished again; home? Together?

 “Uh…sure…but where are you going?” He said. 

 “The next safe house.” She said. 

 “I’ll take care of her, Donald.” Red said to reassure him. 

 Ressler looked skeptical, so Red corrected himself. 

 “Elizabeth will take care of herself, and I’ll help out occasionally.” He said. 

 Liz smirked, and Ressler nodded. 

 “Fine. We’ll clear the scene. Go get some rest.” Ressler said. 

 “Thank you.” Liz said. 

 She left with Red, and Dembe drove them to a new safe house. It was a quaint, remote little house in a rural area. They said goodnight to Dembe before he drove off, then Liz had a shower to relax and feel refreshed after her traumatic incident. Red stepped into the shower, and Liz giggled. 

 “Mind if I join you?” Red asked. 

 “Of course I don’t mind.” Liz said, then she hugged him. 

 They were both aroused from the naked hugging, but they were also tired, so they focused on washing up. They rinsed off and got out, then they dried off and put some pyjamas on. They went into the kitchen and Red made them a snack. After that, they brushed their teeth and got into bed together. Liz snuggled up to Red and he held her close. 

 “I love you, Red.” Liz said softly. 

 “I love you too, Lizzie.” Red said quietly. 

 He reached over, turned the lamp off and cuddled her. Liz felt warm, safe and cozy, and she realized she wanted to do this every night for the foreseeable future. Red wanted to do this every night, too. He was happy. They both felt peaceful, so they soon drifted off to sleep. 

  **The End**


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